If Jake had a Wicca Sister
by 57terrier
Summary: This story centers on if Jake Scully had an older sister who got to Pandora first. This is her story during the first 1-2 years of his flight to Pandora.
1. Start Learning

This story centers on if Jake Scully had a sister who got to Pandora first. This is her story during the first one or two years of his flight to Pandora. There are references to Wicca as a lifestyle in that era for the movie's characters. Any errors made in reference to Wicca or Avatar are my own. If they are terrible wrong, let me know and I will be happy to change them.

When people speak in Na'vi their words will be italicized. Regular text indicates human speech.

* * *

Jasselle woke in her own body, her own bed. Not surprising, that's how she fell asleep. Her human living quarters were larger than most of the residents at base. She had had the good sense to request a second room to use as an office/storage area. The outer room was crammed with reference disks, image viewers, actual journals and books, and the odd object from some lost earth age that had seemed relevant before leaving Earth. Having degrees in Anthropology (the study of societies) and history got her in the view of various organizations, but that in combination with a solid record in survival skills (thanks to the marine in the family) secured her pass to Pandora a strange, tropical planet that was a six year journey from Earth.

Jasselle's internal clock told her that it was not quite dawn yet. She got up and performed her morning exercises. The repetition gave her extra thinking time, she remembered sending a message back home to her younger brothers and mother. She sometimes wished one of them were there to watch her back, but she couldn't quite figure out why she might need someone to do so. She mentally shrugged at least Tom was going to be coming; she could hope that Jake could find a way to come as well. When the morning routine was complete, she picked up a different reference disk than yesterdays and left her quarters. She slipped through the mess hall greeting some of the soldiers as she ate and read. From there she went straight to the Avatar link room. Only Samuel, a tech she had taking to calling SG, for Super Geek (he seemed that smart), was there. All the pods were silent.

"Morning," SG said pleased he had finally beaten her there.

"Good morning, may I?" she said pointing to a pod.

He nodded and helped her get ready while stating, "You should get clearance today."

"I certainly hope so," she answered. It was a week since she had begun linking with her avatar and more than a month after she had arrived, but she had contracted sleeping sickness from the space flight making her motor skills in the avatar poor among other symptoms. As a result, she had been confined to the base till she fully recovered, not that she hadn't made good use of her time. It had given her a chance to review the work of the other scientists and oversee the construction of a small dwelling that she hoped was similar to the Na'vi in enough ways to be looked well upon by the natives. She laid back in the pod and said, "Thank you." Before SG shut it. SG smiled. In the soft green light of the pod's interior Jasselle shut her eyes and reached.

She breathed in the fresh air filled with native pollen before opening her eyes. She lifted a pair of long blue arms and smiled. She cautiously tested her basic motor skills. Everything seemed in order. She rose and carefully donned what appeared to be jewelry that was actually well disguised devices for communication and cameras.

"Jasselle, do you read me?" SG said over the ear clasp.

Jasselle touched the com-link at her throat, "Loud and clear. How does it look?" she asked meaning the read out of her brain.

"Everything's nice and bright, all functions are at healthy levels."

"Good, then it's time to confirm it," she said picking up a large duffel bag.

"What do you mean?" he asked suspecting trouble.

Jasselle smiled, "Watch the monitors." She pulled aside the 'tent' curtain and peered through the security grate. The yard was clear in the pre-dawn light, but something was watching from the forest beyond the wall. She unlatched the gate and closed it behind her. From the duffel bag she pulled a human long sword that seemed more like a long dagger in her avatar's hands and a steel rod the length of a long sword for her avatar's size. Strapping them to her body she performed the same exercises she had done earlier though slower. Upon completion she drew the rod and practiced sword dancing she had learned from a group of very traditional Asian warriors.

The dawn rose and she could feel its warmth and more eyes upon her. She moved at half speed to make sure all the movements were precise. She spun through the last few figures and slid the rod into its makeshift sheath. She determined that she was breathing harder than her human body would after a similar work out. She opened her eyes as she heard someone clapping. Grace, the head of the Avatar Project stood outside the sleeping structure Jasselle thought of as a cabin-like cage. "Well, it appears you have finally recovered," she said approaching. Other avatars were waking and the young natives that were students began to step out of the jungle. Most of them were staring at Jasselle.

Jasselle sighed going to a fruit-bearing plant she liked. "_There's still a ways to go_," she said in the native language. The young students had been told she was ill and had kept their distance, which made her job, learning about them from them, almost impossible. It didn't help that when her avatar was formed somehow her rare eye color, deep indigo, had beaten the standard yellow, marking her as different beyond the other avatars. She carefully selected a fruit and took a healthy bite.

Grace nodded at her words and was secretly relieved by the students' new interest in the young anthropologist. Jasselle continued to eat and speak with Grace about little things testing her handle on the native language. Once she was certain the students would hear her she asked, "_Grace, do you suppose anyone among their clan might be willing to teach me_?"

Grace was quiet a moment before answering, "_Just what would you like to learn_?"

Jasselle shrugged, "_The bow for starters. I haven't been outside yet to even begin to understand what I could or should learn here._"

* * *

Two weeks later

As the aircraft landed, Jasselle jumped off adjusting the rifle now strapped to her weapon's harness. It was an added weight she hadn't planned on, but the security chief insisted. The pilot, Missy, leaned toward the glass and called over the com-link and engines, "You sure about this?"

Jasselle grinned, "No, but let's do it anyway." Missy and the soldiers grinned while Grace looked worried. "I have studied the land, terrain, wildlife, and plant life from all the available information. The only way I would be safer is with some local guidance." She held up a hand as Grace started to say something, "We're not going to get it by waiting for them. They seem to be waiting for one of us to try." Jasselle turned and shifted her grip on the quarterstaff, "see you at the rendezvous." Jasselle slipped into the jungle and heard the aircraft takeoff. 'Finally' she thought taking a deep breath carefully identifying smells. She stood very still listening as the jungle settled back into its rhythm. When she felt ready and felt eyes on her, she began to lope along. It strange to her how much more in tune she felt with this planet, no matter which body her mind was in. She could swear at times that there were lights at the edges of her vision. Birds called, wind blew, and someone followed her. She slowed down several times to take a closer look at things she found. She used sub-vocals to speak to the others at base so the watcher wouldn't realize she had eyes and ears elsewhere. At times she collected a leaf or rock for the scientists.

Close to the rendezvous she stopped at the sound of a bird that had been flying about her for a while. She looked around carefully and saw no danger just a large black bird with blue wingtips sitting on a branch. She watched it and asked, "What is that bird? And does anyone know what it wants?" The bird stared back and cawed.

It was the zoologist who answered, "Its name translates to curse leader by the natives as it…" the bird took off and flew to a branch off her path, "…leads people to danger." The bird looked back at her, obviously waiting.

Jasselle thought a moment and began to follow stating without moving her mouth, "Let's pretend I don't know that."

Over the com-link she heard: "You crazy," "Be careful," & "Grace will have your tail."

Jasselle ignored them as she was more concerned of the promised danger. The bird flitted along checking on Jasselle ever few branches and chirping. Her watcher remained hidden and wasn't following so closely it seemed. Eventually, Jasselle began to hear buzzing and something about the situation seemed familiar. As she rounded a tree trunk, she saw the source of the buzzing. Coming in and out of a rock formation were strange insects. Some were attacking the bird. It dawned on her what this seemed like, and she wished it was. She quickly looked around for what she needed. Soon she had jury-rigged a bee smoker. She ignored the continued buzzing over the com-link and minded the insects that did have stingers. Slowly but apparently it calmed or at least blinded them. She looked closer at the formation and was relieved the opening was bigger than her hand. She smoked it some more before reaching in and touching something soft and sticky. What she pulled out was a large mass that might be honeycomb if honeycomb was green and shaped in grid-like squares. She stared at it bewildered and the scientists had no clue. At another chirp Jasselle looked at the bird, and then her staff remembering the rest of the story from Earth.

Aloud she whispered, "_Well, there's no harm in seeing if you eat it_." She secured her staff to the ground and stuck a wad of the stuff on top. As she stepped away the bird flew, perched on the stuff and pecked at it. "_Guess that answers my question_," she whispered trying a small bite. It was like honey in texture but with a fruitier taste. Jasselle gathered a couple large leaves and wrapped the green honey well. She saved one last piece, waiting for the bird to finish. It hung on the side of the staff watching that piece. Jasselle draped it on the back of her hand, before carefully offering the bird her arm. She knew perfectly well that she was pushing her luck, but this was a 'what if' that would nag her. The bird flew at her and nipped the piece leaving behind a shallow scratch. She shrugged, cleaned up the area, and gathered her staff heading back to the rendezvous. The scientists buzzed again in her ear. Even with success and their congrats, Jasselle reminded herself to stay alert.

She was late to exit the jungle for the riverbed, but the sight of the aircraft was a welcome one even Grace looked pleased. Jasselle handed Grace the green honey before boarding. As the craft took off, she scanned the jungle looking for the one who watched her. She thought she saw something blue but with the engines blowing the branches she couldn't be sure. She figured she would ask the students in the morning.

* * *

A week later

Jasselle sighed as she exited the jungle near a lake. She safely completed another track through and still no sign of the natives who watched her. She wasn't sure what else she should do to get them to at least talk to her. She stepped into ankle-deep water as she walked toward the craft. Some of the heads were giving her grief about the lack of progress. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed a ripple in the water heading toward her, but the research stated no dangerous marine life had been found in the area. She rubbed her forehead and thought about tomorrow's meeting.

"_Get away from the water_!" screamed a woman.

Jasselle didn't think, her body turned and lunged away from the water toward the tree line. Something wrapped her leg and she felt something pierced the skin. She dropped her staff and shielded her head as she hit the ground. She looked as a red tentacle pulled her into the water. Jasselle took a deep breath, drew the long sword, and thought, "Now, someone talked to me."

Missy, Grace and the soldiers heard the shout and saw what happened, but couldn't believe it. Now a Na'vi woman stood at the tree line staring out where Jasselle had vanished. Grace rushed toward her as a male joined the woman. Missy ordered the soldiers to watch both the water and jungle. It was only seconds but then the water erupted with failing tentacles. It wasn't as close to shore, but it gave the impression the creature was quite large. Something flew toward shore and tumbled in the shallows. Everyone was stunned to see it was Jasselle.

She stumbled to shore; her face pale and frozen in shock, and more fell down than sat down with the sword still gripped in her hand. Grace went to her. "Grace," Jasselle said softly, "_I believe that is a dangerous creature_."

"I agree. Are you hurt?" she asked noticing the scraps and bruises over Jasselle's avatar. The natives joined them.

Jasselle noticed some of the tentacle still clinging to her leg, "_I want the name of the _baka_ that said there wasn't_."

"_Of course, are you hurt_?" Grace repeated.

Jasselle looked at her leg and began pulling the tentacle away, "_Not the worst I've been except for this burning numbness in my leg_." As she pulled the tip off she found a few sucker like heads with a snake-like fangs in the center of each. "Oh Gaya," Jasselle whispered looking at the purple wounds that spread like webs under her skin.

"What is that?" Grace asked.

"My best guess, venom a neural toxic from how it's burning_… I need a healer. Fast_!" Jasselle said trying to stay calm.

Grace started yelling over her com-link. The male shouted to the female to get someone. She ran into the jungle. One of the soldiers rushed over with a med kit. The Na'vi male grabbed Jasselle and helped her get further away from the water. Grace grabbed the kit and picked up the tentacle, "We need to analyze this. We don't know if the anti-venom will work."

As the male sat her down Jasselle said, "You don't know if you can treat basic wounds for the avatars." She said to the male, "_Thank you, though I am now left wondering how I'm going to survive this_…" She hissed as the burn worked up her leg.

"_You must stay calm_," he said, "_and still_."

"_Trying_," she said attempting to focus on breathing instead of the burning now in her thigh.

"_Lay back they're sending a healer team_," Grace said.

As Jasselle leaned back she asked the male, "_Who did you send for_?"

"_Our clan's healer_," he said examining her leg, "_How did you escape_?"

"Grace, _we're listening to their healer_," she said before answering in spite of the increasing pain, "_It had a beak that opened about three feet_."

After a pause Grace asked, "_Why's that important_?"

"_The_ rifle, _I…_" Jasselle suddenly hissed, gritting her teeth as she curled up on her side. She began shaking hard.

"_What's happening_?" Grace demanded grabbing her, "Jasselle!"

Missy called over her com-link, "Hurry up. She's shaking."

From the com-link they heard, "Sounds like neural toxic. She could have a seizure, pin her!"

"_Pin her_?" Grace repeated as Missy pulled at Jasselle's weapon's harness.

The male heard and push Jasselle onto her back even as he heard the sound of hooves. A strangled breath was the only warning as Jasselle's body suddenly thrashed: her back arched, legs kicked, and hands reached out for the closest object – one being the male's wrist. He shouted surprised by the vice like grip, "_Let go_!" He yanked but Jasselle held on. Her face was twisted in pain, silent screaming and eyes wide but unseeing.

The clan's healer dropped beside her injured leg as Missy attempted CPR and failed. She shouted at the male, "she can't breath." She pointed to Jasselle's chest and pounded her own. "Hit her!"

He understood and slammed his fist down on her. Jasselle exhaled and her muscles stopped contracting long enough to get his arm free. The healer applied a green gel to the wounds. Grace watched feeling helpless as they finally heard the med unit craft. The communicator at Jasselle's waist went off and Grace answered on speaker.

Sam spoke rather panicked, "Grace what should we do? Jasselle's stats are going crazy. They're telling me to cut the link."

"God no don't. That would kill both bodies," Grace shouted. The healer moved to Jasselle's head and Grace stopped her from pouring something into her mouth, "_What are you doing_?"

"_Saving her_," the healer said with disdain, "_unless her death is what you wish_." Grace backed off wordlessly. Jasselle was still fighting the seizure and silently screaming. They watched as a liquid was poured. They waited as the healer chanted and the med team landed. Jasselle's muscles began to ease and her breathing though rough steadied.

The med team surrounded her pushing the others aside, but the healer would not budge as she stroked Jasselle's face in a pattern. The humans tried to ignore her as they unlatched the weapons harness, set their monitoring equipment on her, or examine her leg. "_Leave it_," the healer said as a doctor started to scrap away the gel on the wound. He didn't understand and ignored her.

Grace tapped the doctor's shoulder before the male could stop him, "She told you to leave it." The doctor stared at her and then glanced at the healer. "She knows more about this than we do. Sam, what do her readings show now?"

"Still up and down but slower, they could be trying to level out," he answered.

"Her heart's getting a workout," another doctor said. "Lung function's at 55% and kidneys are barely 50. We need to get her back to base."

Grace spoke to the healer about leaving; the healer shook her head and placed a hand over Jasselle's heart. "She asks us to wait. Jasselle's not safe yet."

"Which is why we need to get her to the proper facilities. She could have another seizure."

"What…" asked a voice so soft and rough, they could barely tell it was Jasselle's, "What stopped…?" The healer smiled and stroked her cheek. "You?" she whispered too foggy to remember the Na'vi word.

Grace answered, "_Yes, she stopped the attack_." The healer nodded giving Jasselle's glassy eyes a measuring look. "We're listening to her, Jasselle. Just like you asked."

The doctor with the monitoring equipment bristled, "We are prepared to provide any care to humans."

"Avatar…" Jasselle whispered fighting to stay awake.

The healer touched her forehead and said, "_You need to rest this body dream walker, talk in the small one. For I too wish to know how you escaped_."

Jasselle blinked and thought that was a really great idea. She closed her avatar's eyes and opened her human ones. Her head was pounding as she pushed up the pod's lid. She winced at the lights and stumbled out. "Oh, what a day."

The lab personnel surrounded her and plagued her with questions. "Chair," she demanded. As she sat she held out her hand to SG, "The com, please." When she had it she hit the speaker. "_So am I still alive over there_?" she asked resting her head on the nearest solid surface.

"_Yes, but you shouldn't have left so suddenly_," Grace replied.

"_The healer told me that I could, I trusted her. And I am very grateful to the Na'vi who choose to help me_… _I still want the name of the _baka_ who stated there were no dangerous water creatures in this area_." She could hear the Na'vi laugh. Jasselle muttered, "I'm sure its funny it didn't happen to you." The personnel laughed in response and SG padded her shoulder.

"_As you noticed they were wrong_," said the healer. "_Now, how did you escape_?"

"_You mentioned its beak and your _rifle," Grace prompted.

Jasselle nodded and said in a voice full of mischief, "_I wonder where it is now_." One of the scientists started laughing. "_You figured it out_."

He nodded, "_How did you think to do that_?"

"_I'm not really sure, it kind of just popped in my head. You see I just wasn't ready to quit and say all right you win eat me. I was hacking away at that tentacle, scared yet calm to the point I think I was more anger at myself than it. I saw the beak through the forest of tentacles, just as I stop hacking and started feeling around my harness for something, anything to save myself with. Then I land my hand on the _rifle_ and the image was there_."

"_What, you're annoying me with the build up_," Grace demanded.

"_To jam its beak_," Jasselle explained, "_I shoved the _rifle_ in and when it couldn't close its mouth it threw a tantrum, I mean really threw_." A couple people chuckled at the thought. "_What really surprised me is that I ended up back on the same shore, much less any shore at all_." There were nods around and laughter on both sides of the com-link.

"_You are very fortunate. This body may be taken home now_," the healer said.

"_Thank you_," said Jasselle quickly, "_would I be permitted to speak with you or any other of your clan at another time_?" Jasselle waited listening to the silence.

"_Hm, perhaps_," the healer said, "_I will speak to the clan. It would help if you could show you understand connections_."

"_Connections? What kind of connections? That could be in relation to anything_," Jasselle asked.

"Jasselle, they're leaving," Grace said.

Mary, the zoologist, said, "That was cyptic."

Jasselle fought the need to swear. "Thanks Grace, I'll see you when I see you." Jasselle closed the com-link and handed it back to SG muttering, "Connections?"

"What do you think she meant?" he asked.

"Not sure. The marine baka will have to wait. I've got a lot of research to do," she said standing immediately feeling dizzy. "But first I'm getting some aspirin."


	2. Wicca Secrets

I decided to break this story out a little better. As I wrote the story, I realized I didn't know most of the names of the secondary characters, so I made them up, as I needed them. If anyone does know the correct names, let me know and I will fix them.

This is the chapter where Jasselle's Wicca heritage is revealed. Enjoy.

* * *

Several days later

"How's my avatar?" Jasselle asked walking in.

SG jumped at his console, "about like it was eight hours ago. Jeez, slow down." As Jasselle spun and walked out, he said, "Girl's gonna get that body killed."

Jasselle walked down the corridor to the human entrance of the avatar yard. She picked up a filter mask and stopped long enough to check the yard for safety. Once outside she went straight to her tent. Then she pulled herself up the grate to unlock the opening. She shoved it open, swung inside and shut it, the lock automatically turning. She jumped down and flicked the curtain aside. On a floor mat laid her avatar. It was a little odd to look at the body rather than be in it. It breathed, the skin was paler than normal, and the leg was bound. Jasselle removed the bandage and nearly growled her frustration. The wound didn't look any better as SG implied. Jasselle had a theory about connections, but until the avatar was healthy there was no way to test it. She passed the time going over her avatar's body inch by inch for other injuries. She then checked the outfit: a near swimsuit with a wrap skirt of thin yet strong material, which was about as close to native dress as modesty would let her.

She saw the rose tint of dawn through the tent flap when she heard strange scratching. Jasselle silently picked up her long sword and crept to the flap. As she peered through, she saw a viper wolf in the yard poking around. Jasselle knew they usually traveled in packs, but there were no other viper wolves in sight. It also was acting strange. She took a deep breath and removed her mask to see without the glass in the way. The viper wolf 's eyes were yellowed and fogged. There was froth on the mouth. It was sick, possible very sick, and that meant more dangerous. It had to be driven away or killed before someone got hurt. Unfortunately, it was about as big as she currently was. She had a basic plan and a fallback as she quietly went to a hidden gun locker. Jasselle knew she took stupid risks at times but she always tried to temper them with a solid dose of common sense. She loaded both a handgun and rifle before slipping on a holster and the strap to her shoulder. Jasselle also strapped the long sword on and picked up the metal rod for good measure.

At a new rustle she crept back to the flap. The viper wolf had noticed the sleeping avatars and was snarling and scratching at the gate. She could tell someone was probably watching from the tree line, but she doubted anyone would come out until they saw Grace. She slipped up to the lock with one eye on the viper wolf. She turned it to the open position. It didn't notice. She dropped down and as quickly as she could she opened the gate, stepped out and shut it. That it did notice. It snarled at her, but didn't wait to think or wait for her to run as most predators do. It leaped at her, Jasselle rushed to get away from the tent for more room. As it closed, she swung the rod like a bat and sidestepped its lunge. The rod smashed its nose into the muzzle. Jasselle felt pain in her hands, but continued to move as the viper wolf turned seeming not to notice the blood dripping from its nostril. It wasn't just sick Jasselle realized it was mad, like rabies. She bashed at it again and again, barely keeping it off her and soon heard Grace screaming from inside the cabin. 'This was a really dumb idea,' she thought. She vaguely noticed a Na'vi woman running toward her. The viper wolf turned to look at Grace a moment. Jasselle jumped back trying to get some more distance, sliding the rifle off her shoulder. The viper wolf turned back and snarled, muscles bunching to attack. It stumbled as an arrow slammed into its body behind a foreleg. Jasselle drew her long sword with the rifle ready. She said, "_I'm sorry it had to come to this. I know some sort of darkness is destroying you mind and body. So its time to let go and return to the light_." She darted in, dropped the rifle and rammed her sword into its chest to the heart. The viper wolf shuttered and stilled. Jasselle picked up the rifle and settled it back on her shoulder. She moved to look at its eye. It was dull with death, as yellowed and fogged as she thought. She stroked the fur and softly chanted the Wicca words meant for passing.

As the Na'vi woman knelt to claim her arrow, Jasselle stepped back to claim her sword. "_Thank you for your help. I was hoping to drive it off. Too sick, it was too far gone_," she said tapping her temple.

"_That was brave and stupid_," the woman said, "_you should have let me handle it_."

Jasselle shrugged as she cleaned her blade, "_and risk it biting someone or escaping to infect others with this_," she shook her head, "_No, it was already in pain, driven from the pack, and focus on me. I picked the fight, I always try to finish what I start_."

"Do you always have to act like you're a warrior?" Grace shouted coming over, "For God sake, you weren't even in your avatar."

"_Still healing, I couldn't connect anyway, and please note I had the sense to bring a _gun," Jasselle answered sheathing the sword and sliding the rifle into her hands. She held it properly proving wordlessly she knew how to use it.

"Then why didn't you use it in the first place?" asked the biologist avatar.

Jasselle rolled her eyes, "_What part of drive off didn't make sense_?" she walked passed them for her rod. Students and scientists were staring at her not something she was unfamiliar with but never got used to. "_Then there was no time_," she tried to explain. "_I need to get some… _kerosene."

"Why?" Grace asked.

"Kerosene?" the Na'vi woman repeated.

"_It's also been called liquid fire. That poor beast was diseased I'm making sure nothing else has a chance to get sick from it_."

Mary spoke, "Must you constantly speak Na'vi?" She was a zoologist and avatar operator.

Jasselle shrugged, "I'm an anthropologist, we learn about the people from the people by trying to become one of the people. Hence speaking the language is only a small part of the learning."

Mary replied, "_I'd like a chance to examine it before burning it_."

Jasselle glanced at the body before answering, "_Just be very careful, it was like it had... _rabies. _I want it done before nightfall. I'll beat your tail if you don't_." She headed back to the tent. The Na'vi woman followed her as Grace led the students to class. At the gate, she asked looking over her shoulder "_Is there something else_?"

"_You handled yourself well_," she said.

"_Thank you_," she said pulling herself up to the lock, "_Nice shooting. I've been trying the bow but I'm not very good_." She reached in and opened it knowing the Na'vi was watching.

"_I don't understand you. You're _human_, one of them, and yet… your words to the viper wolf were_…"

Jasselle jumped down, "_You don't learn about people by just watching. And everyone is an individual_." Thinking about all her few years as an anthropologist. "_Would you like to come in and talk a while_?" Jasselle pulled open the gate and the flap. "_I was sent for because I love learning about people and sharing when I can_." The Na'vi woman looked a little confused and surprised. "_Without my avatar I'm stuck with little to do, but if you have things you need to do I understand_." Jasselle could almost see the battle of thoughts in the woman's eyes as she waited patiently.

She nodded, "_For a short time_."

"_Then be welcomed in my home and at my hearth_," she said, silently ordering herself not to celebrate as the woman entered. "_My name is_ Jasselle."

"_Rameana_," she replied looking around, "_This is not what I expected_."

Jasselle winced at the disordered, "_Sorry, I usually keep it neater than this. The healers keep shoving things around_." She hooked the flap aside to let in the light and sit her weapons against a rack near the doorway.

"_No, it's not that. It's like you tried to honor both _human_ and Na'vi here. Unlike outside_," Rameana said feeling better with the flap open and more familiar though still strange surroundings. She settled on the soft dirt floor near the sleeping avatar. She looked at it closer and looked at Jasselle, as the human uncovered a basket with smaller fruits and filled a small bowl with them.

"_I was trying to figure out how your people lived. Just the basics without ever seeing your clan's home_," she explained without realizing Rameana was looking back and forth. "_I hope I got something right. What_?" she said turning. Rameana looked back at the avatar. "_Oh, is something wrong with my avatar_?"

"_You look very much like her_," she said. Jasselle nodded placing the bowl before her and sitting by her avatar's shoulder. In the bowl with the fruit were some odd green blocks.

"_She's me or I'm her. These bodies share blood that is what allows the link or connection to work_," Jasselle explained and then asked, "_Is there something here that's completely different from your home_?"

Rameana nodded, "_The bed, we sleep in woven reeds between branches_."

"_Sounds like a _hammock," Jasselle said and looked around, "_That's going to take some work in here_."

Rameana nodded and picked up a green block, "_What are these_?"

"_I don't know what your word is, but considering how I found it I have been using the closest _Earth _word. So my answer is _honey _or_… honeycomb. _It has an almost fruit like sweetness. If you roll it around in your mouth a while it becomes chewy again_." Rameana looked at her and Jasselle grinned, "_I actually had to steal those back from the others. They were devouring them. Never mind, that I don't know when or_…" she brushed her avatar's cheek, "_if I'll be able to find more_."

"_Find, you found this here_?"

She nodded, "_Out in the jungle, the first time I took a walk though. Dumb luck really, which is something I seem to survive well on. I just followed this bird, that later I heard your people call the cursed leader. It led me to a nest of bugs. That was inside_."

Rameana looked a little hesitant but tried the honey, "_Oh, this is good_."

"_You should try it fresh and warm… Do you lead the young ones out here everyday_?"

"_No, but many times. The jungle can be dangerous_," she answered with enough caution that Jasselle knew there was something she wasn't telling.

"_I've noticed_," Jasselle said pointing to her avatar's wound.

Rameana laughed, "_True, I heard about your escape from the lake creature_."

"_You know_," Jasselle said, "_every time I think about what happened, I can't believe I survived. Has anything like this happened to anyone you know_?" Rameana shook her head smiling. Jasselle shrugged, "_There is a saying where I come from: once is unique, twice is coincidence, but three times is… _conspiracy… _planned. I think, I should have been dead four times over and the fact I'm not sort of makes me nervous_."

"_How_?" she asked curious.

Jasselle lifted her index finger, "_First, when it grabbed me, its venom entered then and the healers say I should have stopped moving within the first few seconds. Fortunately, I just happened to be fond of a certain fruit that's right outside which somehow increased my body's ability to fight off the venom. Number two_," raising her middle finger to join the other, "_I wasn't planning on taking that_ rifle _with me, the _security chief _insisted and it just happened to be the right length to jam its beak. Number three_," adding her ring finger, "_When tentacle beak threw its tantrum it could have lost the tentacle it was holding me with any where: deeper into the water, farther into the lake, on some other shore or shallows, but no. I ended up practically right where it grabbed me. Where everyone who could help me was. And lastly, and probably most important_," adding her pinky, "_the Na'vi who was there sent for your clan's healer and she came. They didn't have to, they were under no obligation to do anything for me or anything other… dream walker she called us. The healers here won't admit it but that's not my problem, they couldn't have saved my life. I, my… dream walker, would have died before they got me back here. It leaves me to wonder who is or was looking out for me and why_."

"_Good points, all of them_," Rameana agreed and then asked, "_Are your, the dream walker's, eyes really not yellow_?"

Jasselle nodded turning her avatar's face toward Rameana, "_Out of all of us, why did my eye color, which is rare among _humans_ anyway, end up changing the standard Na'vi yellow to this_," Jasselle slid her avatar's eyelid back with a thumb. Rameana leaned forward to get a good look at the purple eye. When Jasselle cleared her throat Rameana looked over and saw Jasselle had taken off her filter mask so that her own purple eyes were clearly seen. Rameana nodded and Jasselle let the avatar's eye close and slipped her mask back on. "_Question_?" she asked pulling the avatar's braid into her lap. "_What are these glowing little bits? I'm certain there's a purpose and the curiosity is eating at me_."

Rameana nearly laughed but Jasselle's honesty was plain. She really didn't know. "_They led straight from the mind. With them, we can bond to our dire horses, banshees, and Eywa_."

"_Really_?" Jasselle said looking at the fibers more closely. Rameana smiled as Jasselle asked, "_So you connect this physically somehow to similar fibers and_…" She looked at her avatar, "_Hurry up and heal, good_ Gaya."

Rameana laughed warmly, Jasselle sighed and settled the braid back on the mat, "_It's so frustrating doing nothing, when there is so much to do and learn here. So much I want to know_."

Rameana nodded her understanding and noticed some objects on a low platform behind the avatar's head. They were small and thin as leaves with different pictures on each. "_What are those_?"

Jasselle had to stand to see. "_Those would be_ Tarot cards. _Part of my _Wicca_ heritage_," she explained.

"Wicca?" she repeated.

Jasselle gathered them up and a wooden box. She nodded, "Wicca _is not really a... religion as much as it is a lifestyle choice, a point of view one holds. It's changed and developed over the centuries. It leans to a planetary spirit we, I, call _Gaya_. There's a lot symbols to learn and understand. And that is still a small part of it. These _cards_ are believed to be able to give one insight to the seeker's questions or even the future_."

Rameana blinked as Jasselle shuffled, "_The future from those_?"

Jasselle shrugged and tried to explain, "_Belief is a powerful tool. Many objects don't have power by themselves, but if you believe in what it represents does that give it power_." She gave Rameana a chance to think it over. "_These _cards _are normally reduced to a party trick, for fun. But they have been right before, so I believe in them. Would you like to see what they can say_?" she asked fanning the cards on the floor between them.

"_Is there any harm_?" Rameana asked.

"_Rarely, these _cards_ are from my planet with symbols from there. Eywa may not even connect to them in the _Wicca _way. Actually, there is no reason it should, but I plan to look once a moon cycle, if only for tradition_."

Rameana nodded, "_So how do I begin_?"

"_By selecting one _card_ at a time_."

"_But they all look the same on this side_."

"_So you choose by chance or fate. The future is unseen and altered by our choices_."

Rameana slowly selected a few cards and Jasselle explained their meanings. A situation quickly developed surprising them both. "_All right, by the _cards_ someone you care about_…" tapping the six of cups, "_will find themselves in a fight_," pointing to the seven of rods. "_It will involve a woman in some way. It appears that getting you both out of the fight quickly is the best choice_," touching the eight of cups. "_It would only make things worst if you took sides or let this person stay in the fight_," tapping the five of swords and the five of cups.

Outside someone cleared their throat getting their attention. It was one of the doctors. "Ms. Scully, it's time for your avatar's check up."

Jasselle gathered up the cards placing them in the box before the doctor walked in. "_Thank you_," she said to Rameana, "_for taking the time to speak with me. Perhaps, we can do this again_."

Rameana rose understanding the doctors wanted them both out. "_I believe I would like that_." The sun was shining brightly with morning; the conversation had seemed longer as they stepped out.

"_Then have a safe journey and may our paths cross again as I need to link with my dream walker before they get impatience_." Rameana nodded and headed back to the jungle. Jasselle was thrilled it had gone so well. She would have like to have asked more questions but gaining Rameana's trust was equally important.

* * *

She waited for two more days to heal with no sign of Rameana. She was able to take short walks around the yard. Her leg bore a nasty scar and still felt weak. She worked out as much as the doctors would permit. Even though she was impatience to go into the jungle again, she knew it would be foolish until she was better. That morning she went through some mild yoga and watched the sunrise. She whispered the chant for the summer sun wondering when Pandora's solstices were.

As Grace and the other avatars woke, Jasselle made her way to the fruit plant. She could hear the students approaching as usual.

"That's odd," Grace said.

"What is?" Jasselle asked taking a bite, Rameana was coming with the students and another young Na'vi male was following her. Jasselle smiled as Rameana smiled but noticed it didn't reach her eyes. Jasselle turned slightly to Grace and whispered, "Something's up but I don't think we offended anyone."

"Interesting. That's the woman you spoke with the day of the viper wolf incident, right?"

"Yes, Rameana, but I haven't seen the man before."

Grace nodded, "You can handle it."

"Thanks," Jasselle smiled appreciating the confidence, "You handle the children."

Rameana exchanged pleasant words with everyone as Jasselle finished her breakfast. The man stood by speaking to no one and watching Jasselle at times. Finally, at a good moment Jasselle stepped forward, performing the greeting, "_I see you, Rameana_."

"_I see you, Jasselle. I am glad you are feeling better_."

"_Thank you. I hope your presents here means we can talk again_." At Rameana's nod, Jasselle led her back to the tent. She noticed the man followed them.

"_This is my brother, Vitingon_," Rameana said pausing a moment. Jasselle nodded to him suspecting more. "_Last night he found his potential mate considering another male_."

"_Oh my, I'm_…" Jasselle barely paused, "_sorry. I wish I could help_." The card reading was foremost in her mind. Even though it shouldn't have been possible. She welcomed them into her tent, closed the flap, and pulled aside half the ceiling cover for light. "_Are you serious_?" she said softly, "_The _cards _were right_."

Vitingon crossed to her and gripped her shoulders, "_How did you know_?"

"_I didn't_," she snapped, "_and keep your voice down so no one hears_."

"_Brother please, she couldn't have known. She's never been to home tree_," Rameana whispered.

"_Now let go_," Jasselle said knocking his hands aside.

"_Well, what do you suggest_?" she asked her.

"_Pardon, I suggest_?" Jasselle asked startled, "_I'm not a fortune teller, certainly no shaman, and the _cards_ can only tell so much. What each of us does is are own personal choice_."

Vitingon frowned and muttered, "_Should have guessed this was a waste of time_."

Jasselle noticed the tightness of his fists before replying, "_A bigger waste of time would be fighting a man who may or may not have known about your relationship_." He glared at her even as she offered them places to sit. "_Selecting a mate is difficult for some, it certainly is for me. She may be making sure, she is making the right decision_."

He sat down beside his sister, "_How does that help me? And what do you know about it_?"

"_You, possible none. Me, that's my business not yours till I choose otherwise. The woman, quite a bit I imagine. You stepped back and gave her room to think it through, didn't you_?" He glared at Rameana and nodded. "_That may have shown her that your will is strong enough not to fight even though you could have given that you are a warrior. Among the _Wicca_ warriors it is believed that it takes strong warrior to know when to fight but a stronger one to know when not to_." Vitingon stared at her as she picked up her Tarot deck. "_I'm no older than you. I know very little about this world and your ways. I do know much of the _Wicca_ ways and I have spent most of my life learning about people and intend to continue to do so. You may take or leave everything I say or do as you chose_."

He rubbed his forehead, "_You are strange_."

Jasselle smirked for a moment, "_If that is the best insult you can throw at me, you came poorly armed_." Rameana smiled as Vitingon tried not to. "_Choices, Vitingon, when it all comes down to it our actions are the result of our choices_." She shuffled the deck, a little difficult in her larger hands and continued, "_For this round of reading let's try something a bit more structured_."

"_Structured_?" Rameana repeated.

"_When you pulled your _cards_ there was no questions being asked, no pattern to follow, if _Gaya _or perhaps I should say Eywa was involved in the pattern, it was for her to choose_," she explained. "_I am guessing Vitingon has a question in mind_."

"_Can this really work_?" Vitingon demanded, "_they're just pictures_."

"_Then pictures are all they are_."

"_Belief brother, as she told me before. I only thought of how interesting it might be if the _cards_ spoke true_," Rameana said resting a hand on his shoulder. "_When I saw your argument start I did not think about this until I realized the reason_."

"_If you don't believe then the _cards_ cannot possible do you harm_," Jasselle added sitting the deck before him.

Vitingon glanced at each of them then the cards, before asking, "_Very well, what must I do_?"

"_I won't touch these _cards_ again until you hand them to me. Which hand is your dominant hand, the one you grip your weapons with_." Vitingon held out his right. "_Then use your left for this, your non-dominant hand is said to be closer to your spirit. First, have the question in your mind you want answered. When you are ready select a stack of however many _cards_ you choose and set it aside_." They watched as he followed the instructions. He was annoyed but willing. "_Now set the rest of the stack on top of the one you made. This is believed to allow the _cards _to get to know you and your question_," she explained before he could ask. "_Now fan the _cards." Sweeping a hand between them as though she was doing it herself. "_From anywhere in the _deck_ select ten _cards_ and hand them to me_." Vitingon took his time fishing out each card. At one point he accidentally knocked a card toward Rameana. He didn't select it, but she kept an eye on it. When she had ten cards, she reached over to that card and flipped it. "_Patience, hopeful, a dreamer_," she said looking at the seven of cups. She looked to Vitingon, "_Are those words you might use to describe your sister_?" The siblings jumped.

"_Yes, but how? You're making this up_."

Jasselle shook her head and showed them the card's image, "_See how the figure appears calm and relaxed but waiting. Above there is a haze of images like dreams tend to be. The whole image seems positive, good and somehow you unintentionally sent this card near her. This is getting very interesting_."

"_I don't understand_," Rameana said, "_How is this possible_?"

Jasselle gathered up the rest of the cards and set them into the box. "_I'm not sure. I don't know if I've ever had so many right pulls before. Your healer spoke of connections and in_ Wicca _there are various meanings with that term. I am beginning to wonder if your Eywa is more connected than my_ Gaya _has been for a long time. I think I need to review the _Wicca_ practices_." Jasselle held Vitingon's ten cards and asked, "_Ready_?" They nodded. She flipped over the cards one by one from the bottom so to start in order of his selection. As she placed them into the pattern she explained, "_This is known as the earth cross. It was once called the_ Celtic _cross. It is meant to help the seeker to understand the three parts or sides to a question: its past, present and outcome_."

Vitingon sighed and Rameana clasped his shoulder.

"_Stop explaining how and move on to the reading_," Jasselle said. The two grinned. "_All right, the _knight…_ warrior of… blades is an angry young man who wants to fight, not surprising he stands for you in this_." Tapping the card with a man on horseback. Lying over that card was a woman in red surround by flowers. "_Also, not surprising is that a woman who may or may not hold your heart is crossing or blocking your path_." She touched the card beneath the two which shown a family. "_But your family and friends are here with you ready to help you up should the ground be taken beneath you_." She moved to another card, "_This position is about the past but in relationship to the rest I want to say her past not yours. This _card_ suggests fear over possessions. If you do not have this fear then if maybe why she is acting like this_."

"_No, I have not_," he said and Rameana wordlessly confirmed it.

Jasselle continued through the pattern. At the end she concluded, "_I think this woman has been hurt in the past and is trying not to be hurt again. Whichever, happens will be the best outcome for you, even if it is not want you want right now. Did you ask about the outcome of the relationship or what's the matter with her_?"

Vitington frowned but it was not in anger, "_We shall see, won't we_?" Jasselle nodded.

"_When will you be returning to the jungle_?" Rameana asked changing the subject.

"_I don't know. The healers won't give their permission until my leg stops hurting so much_." Jasselle glanced toward the flap hearing footsteps, "_Speaking of them_." She quickly gathered the cards and tossed them behind the platform as someone banged on the grate and stepped in.

"Check up time," the doctor said and then realized Jasselle had company.

She said, "Didn't your mother tell you it's rude to enter someone's home without permission." The doctor just stood there holding the flap open. "Baka," she muttered standing. "_I'm sorry it seems our time to talk must be cut short_." The Na'vi spared the doctor a moment's glare before stating their farewells.

Once Jasselle was certain the two were out of earshot she closed the tent flap, caught the doctor by his suit, lifted him off his feet to her face and hissed, "You baka, I probably had an invite from them coming. But no, you had to stick to the schedule and disregard everyone else. And the people here wonder why the Na'vi act as though we are mannerless and disrespectful." She practically dropped him. Then she knelt to pick up the Tarot box and swallowed the sudden pain lacing through her leg.

"There are protocols to follow," the doctor reminded her.

"Which are set aside when the situation is non-life-threatening and hinders the greater good."

"Greater good?"

Jasselle looked up and groaned, "I'm here to learn about them from them. This stunt you pulled probably cost me another week or more. Never mind, Mr. Selfridge is already asking if bringing me here was the best use of the company's money." The doctor's eyes went wide.

"Jasselle," Grace called from outside the tent.

""Yes, come in."

Grace quickly entered and excitedly asked, "How'd it go?" Jasselle glared at the doctor. Grace turned to him and asked, "What happened?"

"I was doing my duty."

"I was onto something, Grace, maybe an invite or a guide until he rudely entered and insisted they leave." Jasselle sat down and rubbed her leg.

"You can't be certain of that," the doctor said starting the check up.

"You basically kicked them out. You could have minded your manners at the least."

"What did they say?" Grace asked.

"When would I be returning to the jungle? They actually were interested, Grace. I was so close to getting an in, but…" Jasselle clutched sides of her head and growled.

"How was I to know you even had company?" the doctor demanded.

Jasselle leaned over to him, "Do you always enter a woman's room without permission? Basic manners would have been enough."

"True, and you will inform your colleagues that everyone from now is expected to show basic manners to everyone in the avatar yard," Grace said and left.

The doctor watched Grace leave before turning back to Jasselle, "You can't do another jungle track until your leg heals."

Jasselle sighed extending her leg to him, "I know, but can you blame my excitement. This is taking steps to the goal."


	3. Lots of Bad News

Author note: I am taking a basic idea of Wicca from something I read. Wicca's being a healer, a type of therapist or confidant, and nature-base priest/priestess. Then I expanded those ideas to include sayings and teachings from other religions and lifestyles that could get meshed into current Wicca beliefs several centuries down the road to the timeframe that the movie was set in.

* * *

In the coming morning instead of immediately linking up, Jasselle took the time to catch up with her journals and some disturbing letters from home. She left out everything dealing with the Tarot. She would rather no human knew she was a Wiccan; being wrongly called a witch infuriated her. Also, she was a little spooked about the cards being right. By the time she updated everything Grace strolled in.

"This is unusual, Jasselle. Is something wrong?" she asked her.

"I got some letters from home." Jasselle shrugged going to pod, "I'm little frustrated and tired. I thought if I slowed down for a couple of days it would help."

"I had a few words with the heads. They'll back off," Grace slid into her pod.

"Praise and thank you," Jasselle answered climbing into the pod.

As she linked with her avatar she knew she wasn't alone. Her eyes opened and she shouted seeing someone in her face. She pushed them back, slammed her shoulder into the curtain-covered wall as she pulled a hidden dagger.

"_Calm down_," the healer snapped startled slightly.

Jasselle stared clutching the dagger to her chest, and seeing Rameana staring through the flap.

Her com-link went off and she fumbled to answer, "Yes?"

"Are you all right? Your readings made this huge jump," SG asked.

"Yes, just had some unexpected company is all," she said trying to force herself to stop gasping.

"Viper wolves?" he asked.

Grace rushed over and stuck her head into the tent, "_What's going on_?"

Rameana explained, "_Well_, Jasselle _has always been up before this_."

Jasselle put the dagger away and hung up the com-link, as Grace answered quite amused, "_Oh, she was up she just hadn't linked up_."

"_Are you all right_?" the healer asked pressing gentle hands against her face.

"_Yes, I was surprised to see anyone in the tent much less in my face_."

"_The lock was easy and I was worried when you were late_," Rameana said.

"_I meant for the lock to be easy, I was hoping this place would be comfortable to the Na'vi_," she explained. "_I was trying to slow down, not let myself rush so much, to think everything through_." She took a deep, slow breath.

The healer nodded, "_A good idea. Rameana tells me your leg still pains you_."

"_Yes, our healers are still learning about this venom_."

The healer waved her hand, "_still too long_." She quickly unwrapped the bandage. She hissed in disgust, "_Still it looks like this_." She unwrapped some large leaves, which held green gel-like substance.

"_What is that made from_?" Jasselle asked remaining still as the healer worked.

The healer smiled, "_I believe you call it _honey_ mixed with juice from the fruit you like so much and leaves from various plants_."

"_Really_?" Jasselle said as she and Grace stared. The healer kept on smiling as she applied the gel.

"_Oh for crying out loud_," Grace whispered.

Jasselle looked at Grace, "_I'm not telling them and we went through the_ honey. _What's the Na'vi word for_ honey?"

"_Honey_," the healer said standing, "_You should get more, if you can_."

"_Why does that sound like a challenge_?" Jasselle asked, but the healer merely stepped out and left. "_She reminds me of a relative_." She felt the sadness building again.

Rameana smiled, "_I must go, tomorrow perhaps_?" Jasselle nodded smiling, but not trusting her voice. Rameana left and Grace stepped inside.

"This is wonderful," Grace said and then noticed Jasselle looked as though she might cry. "Aren't you happy?"

"About earning Rameana's friendship of course," Jasselle said finally letting a tear fall, "Grace, my brother is dead and the company withheld that information until after the transport was well on its way."

Grace clasped her shoulders, "Jasselle, I'm so sorry. Why would they not let you know until after Tom was traveling?"

Jasselle shook her head, "Not Tom, Grace, he was the one killed. Jake's the one that coming with Tom's avatar. He asked me if he should take the job, but I didn't know. All he got was I wanted one of them here."

Grace gaped at her, not wanting to say she didn't want Jake to her face.

"I know you believe you need only scientists among the avatars, but the Na'vi are warriors, Jake is a soldier. He'll see things from that side. He could connect with them on that level." She rubbed her eyes before snapping, "Why the hell did they ask him while they burned Tom's body? Corporate pigs."

"You take all the time you need," Grace said and left her in peace.

Jasselle took the day to go over her tent's interior, her equipment and weapons. She did a little yoga and started weaving together a hammock. None of the tasks were really mental so she thought about the messages from Earth, both family and corporate. She realized something didn't add up in her mind. She thought back to when her transport arrived, she had been ill then but on Earth she was perfectly healthy and there wasn't a lot of personnel on it. There was a lot of equipment; much had been listed under corporate supplies not security, avatar or medical. Slowly, she realized she didn't know why Pandora was financially worthwhile. She knew at the bottom RDA was out to make a profit, but how.

She went through her check up quietly. The doctors were annoyed by the appearance of the Na'vi healer and promised to meet with Betsy I. Owens, (aka Bio-girl) the biologist about more natural remedies for the avatars. Shortly, before noon Jasselle ran through the obstacle course without too much trouble.

When she returned to her human body, she went to the soldier's training room. She was greeted with whistles and rude comments. Jasselle ignored them knowing she could easily get them to talk about anything and everything after she performed some advanced yoga moves. Once finished she switched to the treadmill, she was quickly flanked by soldiers. Thankfully, they both had some rank on them.

"Haven't seen you around?" the left one said casually.

"I'm with the avatar project. I am just making sure I haven't neglected this body with all my link time," she explained making her voice sound a little shy.

"You seemed to have held up well," the right one said. "Healthy body, healthy mind. My name's Frank."

"Jasselle," she said kicking her treadmill a little faster. "Thanks, I've been in and out of the jungle so much. I think I've forgotten what's going on here." Both soldiers kept up nicely.

The left one said, "I'd be happy to show you around again, if you like. Lt. Simmons, at your service." He raised the incline to impress her.

Jasselle smiled knowing the ploy and the steps that followed, "That would be very kind of you. Are you sure you can spare the time?"

"For a smart and pretty lady, its no problem," the Lt grinned at Frank who glared.

Jasselle kept at her workout for a while longer. The soldiers kept up the conversation and Jasselle maintained a polite distance. She wanted information not a boyfriend. She stopped the treadmill and headed to the showers with more comments following her. When she stepped out she wasn't too surprised the Lt was waiting. He gladly showed her about the hanger, training areas, and the outside of the armory. She remained polite and attentive through asking questions that she knew he could answer. As he took her along the outer wall, she noticed maintenance workers going over a large truck. The kind of truck used to haul extreme amounts of supplies or whatever.

"What's going on over there?" she asked.

The Lt shrugged, "Probably, putting the finishing touches on a transport for the mining, they've been working on them since the last transport arrived."

Jasselle blinked even as her stomach turned to stone. She kept her voice light and casual, "Mining, I never did hear what they found."

"Unob… some long science word. Sorry, not my subject."

"That's all right, I bet you're really good at your job," she flattered him hoping to make him forget she ever asked about the truck. "The boys have an amazing view up here." Changing the subject. Jasselle allowed the Lt to finish the tour and politely promised to consider taking a meal with him at a later time. Both went back to work.

Her office room though crammed was perfectly organized. She knew what the Lt meant to say, that ore was one of the most valuable, hence expensive, on Earth. Shortsighted, greedy fools she thought as her mind spun through the most likely possibility. The avatar project was no more than a means to get in position to dig up and tear up Pandora. When the mining for unobtanium started the Na'vi would flip. All those with the avatar project would lose everything. She leaned against the door trying to assess what she could do. She really needed a soldier now not a scientist. Nearly six years was too long to wait for Jake.

Jasselle pulled off her necklace and looked over her pendant. The six-pointed wired design was a cross star, she was Wiccan guard against the darkness. This mining would be darkness on this planet that had so much light. She sighed knowing she was already justifying betraying the humans and even Earth and Gaya. She wrapped the necklace around her throat and slipped the pendant through the loop. She went to her desk and began to record what she knew and research what she didn't in Gaelic. A language that was dead to all but Wiccans, real ones. This was one risk where she intended to take very precaution.

* * *

After two days, of going through the motions, she was frightened and disgusted inside. History was in route to repeat itself by the corporate thought. The Na'vi being primitive seeming and lacking technology would probably be brushed aside easily. The corporate heads and security had forgotten to factor in a few things that could turn the tide. Jasselle sent messages to her mother and Wiccan teachers, all laced with codes to hide the real messages from corporate eyes. She wasted no time getting to the avatar link room each day. Rameana noticed something was on Jasselle's mind but realized she wasn't ready to talk about it. Jasselle pushed her avatar as much as she could safely. The healer's gel worked wonders, the leg felt sore but not in real pain.

As she ate breakfast, the third morning she tried to talk SG into getting her a transport. He wouldn't budge without the clearance. Rameana came with the students and Jasselle felt tore between the joy of her growing friendship and the guilt over the mining. They sat outside, agreeing it was too nice a day to go inside the tent.

"_So I see your leg is better. Perhaps soon_?" Rameana asked leaving the question unspoken.

"_I hope so. There is so much I would like to see and learn_."

Rameana nodded and watched the children at their lessons.

"_What are your favorite things_?"

Rameana was surprised by the question but smiled. "_Well, flying, rainfall through the jungle, the view from Osha cliffs, connecting to Eywa, oh there is so much to like_." Jasselle smiled back. "_What about yours? You must have some as well_."

"_On Pandora or just favorite things_?"

"_Hm, not Pandora first_."

"_My brothers, sunrises that warm all that its light touches, _tiger lilies_… their flowers, birds singing, and swimming to start a long list_."

"_You have brothers_?" Rameana asked, pleased to hear they shared something.

"_I had two, twins younger. One died recently, but the other is coming. He's a warrior_."

"_That seems both sad and joyful_."

"_I found out about his death the day your healer came to treat me. I'm sorry about how I've been acting lately. Trying to make friends and learn when inside I've been wanting to hit something because it seems so unfair_."

"_I understand. I thought something was wrong, but among the Na'vi we do not intrude on another's problems if they do not wish_."

Jasselle nodded and rolled her eyes, "_Among humans, everyone either likes to be in everyone else business or ignore everyone else, generally speaking_."

"_And you, how do you act to… everyone's business_?" Rameana asked.

Jasselle smirked and said, "_I like to listen. If invited I will talk. But as a _Wiccan_ I am also one who tries to heal and some people need to be offered the help no matter how rude it seems at first_."

Rameana nodded, "_I do have a question about_ Wicca, _but what about your favorite things on Pandora_?"

"_Sunrises again, the way things seem to glow, how everything is new but somehow familiar, the way that some things are like things on Earth but twice the size, this place makes me feel closer to the_ Wicca _ways without the negative feelings I've lived with_."

"_You don't speak of _Wicca_ when any of the others are around, do you_?" Rameana asked the question that had been picking at her since she first heard the word Wicca.

Jasselle looked over her shoulder checking where the other operators were before softly stating, "_Oh no, most think that _Wicca_, who are healers and honor the elements, is a term that is… the same as _witches_, who revel in darkness or evil and refer to cause harm to all around them. And all that has to do with both sides is often referred to as a joke. It's better they don't know. As I said the _Tarot cards_ are seen as no more than entertainment to most. Being openly _Wicca _is asking to be mocked, feared, or worst. I wish to spare myself and them the annoyance_."

Rameana nodded though not totally understanding, "_You are different from them. It makes more sense now_."

"_Thank you. I've been feeling a little out of it lately_," Jasselle admitted. "_Your kindness has been a great help to me_." The doctors came soon after, but Rameana didn't leave. At the end of the check up Jasselle asked for clearance. "Come on, please."

"Tomorrow, if everything remains well," the lead doctor said.

"Oh, come on."

He would have liked to look down at Jasselle, but she stood balanced her formerly injured leg.

Another doctor, who was known to have a wicked sense of humor said, "All right, prove you can maintain under pressure. I will sign your clearance now, if you can do one thing for me."

"Sure thing, what is it?" Jasselle asked quickly. The doctor listed a tumbling exercise with about five different tricks, "You're joking. What makes you think I know what those are?"

"No, I'm not joking. Otherwise you wait till tomorrow."

She stared at the doctors, who were grinning at her, "Right here?"

"Right now," the doctor said tapping her foot.

"I'm not sure I know which is what."

"You're stalling and we have better things to do."

Jasselle groaned, "This is going to be embarrassing." She glanced around. Rameana was watching but didn't know enough English to understand the conversation. Some of the children were watching instead of paying attention to class. "Oh, what I have to do for freedom." She turned to a straight line of grass, took a step forward raised her arms and performed about half tricks listed, throwing a no-handed cartwheel in to make up for what she didn't know. Turning back to the doctors she saw her audience had increased. "_Would you get back to your lessons please_," she gently ordered. They turned back to Grace who was also staring. "Grace, _that goes for you too_."

"_Do I get to hear what that was about_?" she asked.

Jasselle walked back to the doctors, "maybe later." To the doctors she asked, "Now, can I go?"

"Full kit," the head doctor said marking the data recorder.

"Thank you."

Rameana saw the smile and asked, "So you may leave?" She nodded and headed for her tent slipping her com-link out.

"SG, good news, I got clearance. Can you get a transport for me?"

She barely reached the tent when SG came back, "Not today, Jasselle. Everything is some how booked. Sorry."

Jasselle stopped, stared at the com-link and sighed. She should have known her luck wouldn't hold, "Thanks for checking." She turned to Rameana, "_I don't have means to go far from here today_."

"_Why not_?"

"_No one's to be out after sundown. I can't walk that far with what's left of daylight_."

"_Then ride_."

"_There is no craft to fly today. I don't have a horse or banshee and even if I did, I haven't learned how to ride either_."

"_You have so much to learn. Come with me_," Rameana whispered, "_Get your things and come_." Rameana ran to jungle, looked back at Jasselle before slipping between trees.

Jasselle blinked and ducked into her tent. Quickly, she donned her weapon's harness, sliding the blades and rifle into their places. She grabbed her staff and shut tent grate behind her. She casually but quickly made her way to the yard wall and quickly slipped out. She knew she had been seen and that she would have some explaining to do later. She slipped into the jungle about where Rameana did. She searched for tracks but though she knew generally how to track she didn't have much practice. She more or less stepped carefully along toward that feeling of being watched. She soon found herself in a clearing where five warriors and several horses had been relaxing. Now a Na'vi woman had an arrow drawn and pointed at her face as others gathered around. Jasselle wasn't sure if she should move or speak.

Rameana laughed behind her, "_Very good. I wasn't sure if you could track_." The other Na'vi glared at them.

"_I actually don't know how. I could tell someone was there and followed that_."

"_You need a teacher_," one of the men said.

"_Agreed, though I would appreciate not having an arrow pointed at me first_."

The woman relaxed her draw and demanded, "_Why are you here_?"

"_I asked her to_," Rameana said stepping between Jasselle and everyone, "_They wish to know about_ Wicca _and she wishes to learn from us_."

"_You had no right_."

"_Rameana, please_," Jasselle said before the argument could heat up, "_There is time enough to earn the right_." One warrior made a noise like a snort. "_There is no need to fight over this when earning is a part of learning. Unlike most warriors, I do not see a good reason to shove respect down anyone's throat_."

A man grabbed Rameana yanking her out of the way as the bow woman lunged for Jasselle. Rameana shouted but Jasselle was ready using her staff to knock the woman's legs out from under her. She pinned the woman's hand as she reached for her dagger and settled the end of her staff to the hollow of the woman's throat. The warriors stared wary now as Jasselle kicked the woman's dagger away and stepped around her for a better position. Once there she could hold the woman with the staff and clutch her sword's hilt as a warning.

"_Now, understand I came here meaning no harm and planning no harm. Rameana meant the same, let her go._" The warrior released her. "_I'm sorry if I offended any of you. And I forgive those who meant to offend me. I will leave in peace, I was told warriors of your clan were honorable and should let something this pity go_." No one spoke as she turned the staff into a hold position and offered the woman a hand up. She knocked the hand aside and stood. Jasselle stepped back and turned to leave. She said politely, "_Have a safe journey and may our paths cross again_."

"_May you have a safe journey_," Rameana called after her. Jasselle turned enough so Rameana knew she was smiling.

As she reentered the yard, she felt somewhere between relieved and frustrated. Even with earning her clearance, it felt like a day of failures.


	4. Decisions

Here's an actual new chapter. I wrote most of this story's first draft long hand, so it takes some time for me to get it into the computer.

So now Jasselle knows about the mining and Rameana is starting to trust her. What will she do about both? Read on.

* * *

Later that week, Jasselle helped load Missy's aircraft. She was taking a group of scientists to the Hallelujah Mountains and had agreed to drop Jasselle off about 30 miles from the base to allow her the chance to walk home so to speak. She figured she could make it back well before nightfall. With her usual kit was added a flare gun and two instant meal bars. She waited for Grace and her team in her avatar's body. She sat while Missy stood trading gossip from their domains in the base.

"Jasselle, I really wish you would come with us," Grace said looking up at her.

"I have to keep trying here. Rameana will speak to either of my bodies. That's something."

* * *

Jasselle swung down gripping the landing gear as Missy lowered the aircraft to the treetops. Jasselle spotted a thick branch and aimed to land on it. Her landing wasn't graceful, but she hung on.

"I still think you're crazy," Missy shouted over her com-link.

Jasselle waved off the craft and quickly assessed her surroundings. The ground was empty of life, but she noticed the lower branches were thick and numerous enough to move along them, at least for the moment. If it saved her time it helped her out. She moved as quickly and carefully as she could. She had a deadline that had nothing to do with nightfall. It wasn't until she was forced to the forest floor that she felt watched. She barely gave it a thought anymore while she found her direction and started to lope along. By noon, she was more than halfway to her goal and decided to rest. Now knowing the trees provided a greater degree of safety she climbed up, settled against the tree trunk, and pulled out one of the instant meal bars. She frowned at the flavor, cherry pork, and reminded herself that she didn't take the time to look before selecting. She ripped the package open and took a moderate bite. She nearly spit it out before covering her mouth. She made herself swallow it knowing she had nothing else available. She stated, "_Oh, that is nasty. How do warriors eat this stuff_?"

She heard a short laugh and looked around. "_I know I heard you. Would you happen to want to take pity on me about some better food_?" She softly pleaded. The feeling of being watched remained a moment, she couldn't find the person, and the feeling left. Jasselle sighed and choked down the rest of the bar. She took another moment or two to settle her stomach. She was able to continue along the tree branches for a while before returning to the ground. Not long after she had been moving that way, she found two large fruits in the middle of her path. She knew these fruits grew on smaller trees in clearings and were ripe. She felt the watcher again, clasped her hands together and whispered, "_Praise and thanks be to the light upon the one who helps those in need_." She untied her skirt unfolding it to reveal it to be a larger piece of fabric. She wrapped one of the fruits in it and tied it to her harness keeping one out to eat as she moved on. The wildlife moved about more visibly and ignored her for the most part. She rounded anything bigger than her quietly, anything smaller she also tried not to disturb.

When she stopped to check her bearings, she heard a growl. She looked around and saw nothing, then looked up with the same result. At another growl she bolted for the nearest tree and climbed. A pack of viper wolves broke cover and barely missed her heels. She clung to the trunk and looked the pack over. Seven viper wolves watched her. "If I had less discipline I'd shoot the lot of you," she said in a whispered hiss. Jasselle climbed, the lower branches were higher than her previous climbs. Once on a branch, she glanced down where the pack was waiting. She mentally thanked all those who had taught her anything about physical conditioning and climbing.

She spared the pack a glare and checked her direction; this was as good a place as any to veer off from the direction to the base. She turned off her com-link as she looked about the trees. She figured that going between the trees was doable; it just was not going to be easy. "Well," she figured, "no one is really watching and I enjoy breathing."

She made a sign of protection over her heart before running the few steps down the branch and leaping for another on a different tree. She caught it and went hand over hand till she could pull herself up. The viper wolves followed, obviously hoping she would fall. As she climbed, jumped, and even swung between branches, she hoped that there was a better way to do this and someone would teach her. She repeatedly checked the ground as she became tired. Eventually, after she stopped to enjoy the second fruit, the viper wolves lost interest or heard the sounds of crashing through the trees. Jasselle was on one hand relieved and on the other nervous. She shook out her muscles and followed the noise, figuring it was safer to be up than grounded.

As the noise increased, she believed the Na'vi following her was getting closer. As the jungle thinned, Jasselle felt her uneasiness grow. Ahead human machines were clearing a wide circle of jungle, as workers built a massive mining machine in the center of the destruction under the eyes of military aircrafts. As one swiped by, Jasselle slipped behind the trunk. She noticed the craft was heavily armed with not only 2 more gun torrents, but missiles. They didn't need missiles against the animals. Jasselle's mind went through the possibilities, as she looked everything over again. The worst possibilities forced her to turn away and clutch her cross star.

She felt the Na'vi before she saw him, as he silently stepped onto the same branch as her. He looked furious over the machines and when he looked at her it was plain he expected an explanation. He seized her arm and leaned over to speak directly into her ear, "_What are they doing? They have no right to be in this area, much less destroy it_?"

Jasselle leaned back her head to whisper in his ear, "_I was hoping this…_ rumor… _tale, was wrong, a lie. They must have lied about so much to _Grace_ and the others. I heard they found that your lands have stones in it that are of great value to those _humans _who lead these people but are not here. Once that terrible…_ machine… _tool is complete, it will tear into the earth and bring up what they want. Then the stone will be transported from your world to theirs_."

"_Don't you mean your world_," he hissed.

"_I'm not sure anymore. I do know this is wrong and stopping them will be hard_," Jasselle choked on her words trying not to cry as the possibilities for the future were now too plain to ignore. "_How could I have been so stupid_?" The Na'vi leaned back to study the mixture of sorrow and shame in her face. "_I don't know what they plan, but from the looks of it I would guess the method of…_ strip mining: _least effort, biggest result, but the most destructive. At least I had the sense to contact my family and teachers for advice and aid in case this was true_."

"_Come with me_," he ordered pulling her to her feet.

"_To where_?" she asked following him to the jungle floor and away from the machines.

"_To home tree_."

Jasselle glanced up and guessed the time, "_It's too late in the day_." He stopped and glared at her. "_No one knows I came here. They think I'm on my way back to the base still. If I'm not back before nightfall they will know something more happened and realize just how close I would have been to this place. There's too much at sake to throw caution to the wind_." They heard an aircraft approaching, Jasselle followed the man and hid beneath some brush. "_Those white tubes on that craft are called _missiles_. Do you know what they can do_?" She whispered. He shook his head. "_They can be launched farther than an arrow and when they hit something they will burst into flame consuming everything around it. Even if you put the weapons aside, I believe they can field more warriors than you have people in your clan. They learned this by… tricking _Grace_ of all people into finding out for them_." He growled at the aircraft as it left. Jasselle sighed, "_There are unfortunately worst things I can think of, which is why I am begging for caution. I will know more soon. Do you know Rameana_?" He slowly nodded and left the brush now that it was safe. She followed keeping her voice down, "_Go with her to the school. There is a place we can talk safely and privately. I will tell you all I have learned then_."

He nodded bringing her to his horse. As he mounted, Jasselle checked her bearings, and then to her surprise he offered her a ride. She accepted and he easily pulled her up behind him. She didn't realize how strong he really was. "_I know where that place is_," he said sharply.

"_You should drop me off well before they could see us. It is better if they believe I met no one and nothing unusual happened today_."

"_Are you comfortable with lying_?" he asked as the horse began to gallop. He could tell this was her first time on horseback with how she clung to him. It didn't help his opinion of her.

"_I won't be lying, I just won't be including this. _Wicca _saying you do not need to unsay what was not said. If they don't know why should I tell them_?"

"_Unsay_?"

"_Another word for explain away. Right now because I don't know enough about your clan and Pandora it appears most of the strengths are with them and it's what they believe_." He only growled to express his opinion and Jasselle took a deep breath, "_I know that can't be true, but I am a student of_ human _history and they may be following in the footsteps of another time which I can and will certainly use to out think them_…" To herself she thought, "At least I hope I can." She continued hoping he would agree with her, "_Now's not a good time for war, now there is time to prepare and protect. Please understand_."

He didn't answer, so they rode in silence. It wasn't long before she could see the lights of the base. He stopped shortly as she had asked. Once dismounted he told her, "_Tomorrow_."

She shrugged, "_No adult has ever come to the yard without the children being present they would suspect something was wrong. If you came on a school day, they would not even notice_." She sighed at the theory of assumptions, "_More the fool of them_."

He nodded, "_The school day, then. I expect you to have much to share with me_." He remained where he was as Jasselle went to the tree line, pulled out the flare gun and let it fly. The flare was white in the evening's red and she heard shouts before the main gate opened. She jogged inside feeling her sore muscles; it took a different set to ride than run.

She headed for the avatar yard, as some of the soldiers were openly rude. And she gladly gave a few of her own remarks back, "Well, and here I was thinking you boys in the training room the other day might actually be men. Strong handsome men."

Those soldiers gaped, as another called, "Were you the lady that did that fancy stretching?"

"It's called yoga and yes," she nodded and pulled out the remaining instant meal bar, "By the way, these bars are disgusting." She tossed it over to a group of them.

With the soldiers laughing she returned to her tent and then her human body. Once she recorded an edited version of the day's events, she spent most of the night reviewing what she knew. It was unlikely that her latest messages had reached Earth much less that she could have received a reply, but she checked anyway for replies to other transmissions. Her mother had sent one demanding to know why she hadn't giving Jake a proper answer and basically scolding her. Jasselle pinched the bridge of her nose; her mom always knew just what to say to get her children to feel the way she wanted them to (for now like dirt). The woman had a knack for that on most people.

Sorting through maps and contracts was time-consuming; never mind, the variety of legal terms that she needed to define. It was after midnight when she called it a night.

* * *

The pre-dawn of the school day found her tired but not lazy. Jasselle went through her usual routine. It was better to have a predictable routine now with what the future could hold. Once linked to her avatar she again went through her usual routine. As she enjoyed breakfast, Grace took the time to tell her about the Hallelujah Mountains. When Grace took the children off to their lessons, Rameana and the Na'vi man exchanged greetings with Jasselle.

"_I see you, Rameana_," she said and turned to him, "_I see you. My name is _Jasselle."

His eyes widened and Jasselle gave him a warning glare, "_T'seng_."

She led them to her tent and politely invited them in. When the flap was shut Jasselle whispered, "_Are you trying to make them suspect something_?"

"_I didn't realize_."

Jasselle tugged some of the roof aside before replying, "_You need to, if I'm to help. If this goes badly, I don't have any place to run unlike you and yours. The body that holds my life is in there and cannot survive for long out here_."

"Jasselle, _why didn't you tell me? I thought we were becoming friends_," Rameana asked.

Jasselle sighed toying with her cross star, "_I wasn't sure. I was hoping… but it wasn't. Till I knew it was true, what would have been the point of worrying anyone? I intended to tell you as soon as I was sure. Now I am_."

Rameana nodded, "_Then you should come with us. Tell everyone what you know_."

"_Are you certain no one will object this time_?" Jasselle asked. They led her out and into the jungle to the clearing, another group was watching the horses this time. The bow woman from before was there and didn't seem pleased to see Jasselle. As Rameana and T'seng went to the horses, Jasselle took a moment to say, "_Would it make you feel better if you knew I know next to nothing about the bow_?" The Na'vi laughed.

"_You're fine with that stick_," the woman said.

"_They are handy weapons when ranged weapons are unavailable, so the man who taught me said_," Jasselle explained as Rameana brought a pair of horses over. Jasselle pulled her braid over her shoulder and looked at the tips.

"_Are you a warrior_?" the woman asked.

"_Depends on what you define a warrior to be. I am a cross star, which is a _Wicca _guardian. A guardian isn't as good as a warrior normally_."

"_Cross star_?" another Na'vi repeated.

Jasselle nodded looking the horse over, "_Stars being the light in the darkness, the guardians standing between to defend the light from the darkness. Basic knowledge of some weapons is a must, but my training went beyond weapons so I only really know enough to survive my surroundings, though I must admit I wasn't prepared for this world's definition of survive_." She turned to Rameana and asked, "_How do I_?"

Rameana smiled and dismounted, "_Sorry, here_." Rameana stoked the horse's head and down one of the tentacle-like parts. At its tip were similar fibers that were at her braid tip.

"_So these go together_." Someone laughed. "_Please, this is my first time… so any advice, warnings, or just get on with it_."

"_He's quite gentle_," Rameana promised.

Jasselle settled her braid fibers on the horse's. She got an immediate sense of calm and then strength. He was a powerful stallion. He turned his head to look at her. She felt he was confused about why she hadn't mounted. She felt his breath and all six legs. She thought about how much easier it would be to mount if he would bend his middle leg for her to step up on. A moment later, he did just that.

"_Oh, thank you_," Jasselle pulled herself up quickly.

"_Not bad_," Rameana encouraged.

"_Let's see if she stays on_," T'seng said and galloped off.

Jasselle leaned toward the horse's ears and whispered, "_We'll be follow her and I am trusting you to know what you're doing_." Rameana turned her mount and followed T'seng, though not as quickly much to Jasselle's relief. She clamped her legs and held onto a tuff of hair at the base of his neck.

They cut through jungle and clearings, increasing to a gallop when Rameana thought Jasselle was ready. It was more than an hour later before she saw home tree. Jasselle had seen the pictures, knew the stats, but they paled in comparison to actually seeing that massive tree. The horse stopped as Jasselle took it all in.

"Jasselle," Rameana called smiling, "_Come we shouldn't keep them waiting_."

"_Sorry_," she apologized, "_Go on after her please_."

Outside home tree a large group was waiting for them. Jasselle recognized the leaders from Grace's pictures and the healer. As she dismounted, she quietly thanked the horse. She carefully and properly exchanged greetings, but once the pleasantries were over the chief, Eytucan, wasted no time, "_Tell us what you know_."

"_Of course, I will need to go back to when the _humans_ first arrived. Then they were simply looking for what was here. They got to this world because a group known as _RDA corporation _gave them the means and so controls them to a degree. Then they met you and your clan. The majority of them thought because you don't have their type of… _technology… _knowledge, let's say, you weren't as smart as them and in some ridiculous way controllable…_" Some Na'vi snarled. Jasselle nodded in agreement, "_Which those kind of people have made the same assumption before on their world. Sometimes they were right and so they hold to the belief; never mind, that in the past when the assumption was wrong the price was very high_." The Na'vi settled again. "_Then they discovered with their oh so special tools that your world has_ unobtanium: a_ rock that can be turned into so many powerful things. It allows those who possess it to acquire what is considered to _humans _as a lot of wealth. This made _RDA _very happy_." Jasselle stopped to take a deep breath, "_I may have been here but a short time and I know that rock is worthless compared to the life that is all around_." The Na'vi nodded, many pleased with her attitude. "_So once they knew about this rock, they planned to take it. They offered you things that I noticed you didn't need without realizing these things were more to make you like them and them more comfortable with you. The _Avatar Project _and those with _Grace _are just as they appear. They like you, I believe, are not to know about _RDA's _plans until it's too late. The workers and those placed in charge here by _RDA _are to get the rock by any means and ship it back to their world. Those in charge here had enough sense to know that your clan would not likely let them dig up your lands, so they brought in _Grace, _the other… dream walkers, and myself to help them court your clan as one might court a mate_." There were growls and snorts about the Na'vi. Jasselle nodded, "_I didn't say it was working because we all know how this is going_." Some laughed as she hoped. "_All the while, this is only to get the tools to dig and the warriors to protect_ RDA's _interests. When the digging starts, the courting will end from them. They started out planning to betray your trust and the trust of those who stand with _Grace. _I know about how long it will take them to begin and _Gaya… _Eywa willing I intend to delay it till a plan can be made to stop them all together_."

"_Why_?" the shaman, Mo'at, said approaching her, "_You are a dream walker, one of them. Why should we trust you_?"

Jasselle met those angry eyes with calm, her cross star training kicking in. "_Then don't, it's your choice, just as I must make my own. I came and told you all this because I believe it's the right thing to do. In believing that I am doing the right thing now means I had to face the fact I did the wrong thing first. I trusted _RDA _blindly and disregarded my learning of much of _human _history and the learning I have of various people from those people. I didn't see, I didn't think about what was in it for them. Why Pandora was of so much value to them before_." Jasselle throttled down her emotions but her eyes shone, "_If you choose not to trust, there are some things I would warn you of before you go up against them. Regardless, of what you choose to do, I have already committed myself to protecting the light of this world, it would be easier to help each other_." Mo'at nodded and returned to her husband.

He called several warriors and they along with the shaman and healer went toward home tree and out of sight. Jasselle watched them go as Rameana came to stand beside her. "_They will decide_," she explained, "_Your story was well told_."

Jasselle leaned against her staff realizing the first round was over, "_I always seem to be able to tell a good story. It's so much harder with true ones, they're rarely pleasant_." Jasselle then noticed a woman off to the side sitting strangely, her arms wrapped about her and her head down.

"_Is there much you can do about this digging yourself_?" Rameana asked.

Jasselle rubbed her forehead to get some of the tension out, "_Depends on if I get aid from the other _Wiccas _I contacted. Still, people are creatures of habit and that fact is one I can exploit_." Jasselle turned her full attention on the lone woman; there was something familiar about how she held herself. "_Rameana, is that the woman, the one your brother…_"

Rameana looked and nodded frowning, "_The other man left her completely, but Vitingon is keeping his distance_."

"_May I talk to her_?"

"_Why_?"

"_Because, if expressions are the same, I think I understand_." Jasselle walked to the woman even though other Na'vi scowled obviously not approving. The woman didn't notice until Jasselle sat beside her. She stared into Jasselle's strange eyes and Jasselle stared back searching for a time. The woman's eyes became brighter and her breathing sped up. "_I believe I have some understanding_," Jasselle whispered, "_Not of what happened, but what you're feeling. I could help if you let me_."

"_What does a dream walker know about anything_?" she hissed.

Jasselle leaned in close, their noses barely touching, and in the softest of whispers she said, "_I know how it feels to have a man betray not only trust but heart_." The woman's eyes widened. "_How it feels to wonder if what happened was my fault. How fear and shame can run circles inside till it's so knotted up that speaking of it is not possible_." The woman turned away, Jasselle gently wrapped an arm around her and touched her forehead to the woman's so as to continue in her ear, "_But it is the speaking of it that helps to let go_."

"_To you_?" she growled, uncomfortable with the other Na'vi watching.

"_Only if you want. There is your shaman, the healer, family, friends, Eywa, even your banshee can be a good listener_," Jasselle touched the woman's chin to get her to look into her eyes, "_Find the strength, as long as you hold this inside, it will not let you live and just existing in fear is misery when there are those who would like to love you_." Jasselle softly squeezed her shoulder and stepped away going back to Rameana. The woman seeing everyone looking at her ran. Jasselle sighed and watched as the sad woman vanished into the jungle.

Before she reached Rameana, Vitingon blocked her looking confused and furious at the same time. "_What was that all about_?" he quietly snarled.

"_Remember when you asked me about my knowledge of relationships… Sometimes a person hurts another because they mean to. Sometimes they think they are being cruel to be kind. The worst is when they don't realize and then don't care they did hurt someone. She's hurting but it's not from wounds you can see and she's not ready to help herself much less let anyone help her. I just wanted to let her see there was a way out of the pain_."

"_But you understand_?" he insisted.

Jasselle nodded, "_I was younger than her and wanted so much to belong somewhere, anywhere. To find that place that would not only felt right but was right. I stupidly thought a mate would let me settle, to fit in. At least I left before the mating ceremony, some women are not so lucky_."

"_You wanted to just fit in_?" Rameana asked.

She shrugged, "_I have been over much of my old world, seeing people, learning new things, but no matter where I went inside I felt 'no this is not my place, keep searching'_."

"_And Pandora, here_?"

"_After I recovered the first time and saw the sunrise, I felt something was here. Something almost familiar, you know, like being lost all this time and finally stumbling on a trail that you know will take you to that place. When I told you about my _Wicca _heritage, I had not simple told someone much less a total stranger, since I was a child. When I had to learn the hard way that known _Wiccas _were practically outcasts for no reason. Not even those I considered my closest _human _friends ever knew, but I told you and it felt normal. It was something different from you, but nothing I needed to hid_." Jasselle looked around, "_Is this it? I hope so_."

"_Perhaps, one day I may greet you as sister_," Rameana said smiling.

"_That would be a great thing to earn_," Jasselle said just as warmly.

The chief returned some time later to find Jasselle among several women in a deep discussion of daily Na'vi life. "_We are uncertain if you have our interests in mind_," he began as Jasselle and the clan gathered. Jasselle nodded her understanding. "_We will hear your warnings before returning you to the school as we know you must be there before nightfall_."

"_I understand and respect your concerns. It only proves you are not what those in charge at the base believe, which is stupid, and that can be a great advantage if used properly. My concerns come from the events from _human_ history. History has tendencies to repeat itself. If you attack the… _mining… _digging tools or the air… tools, they of course will fight back. If you attack while your children are at the school…_" Many Na'vi gasped and Jasselle nodded continuing, "_Where many of their warriors are, the children could be captured and held while you are threatened with their safety. If the children do not come to the school without reason, they will know something is wrong and be more prepared. If you cause too much damage to quickly they could do worst. The _Wicca _warriors say: plan for the worst strive for the best. The worst I can imagine is not just your children as prisoners. It is their _aircrafts… _metal flyers with their _missiles_ I told T'seng of, coming here to your home and destroying it_."

The Na'vi began talking at once. "_Wait_," Jasselle asked, "_remember I said plan for worst, for _RDA _if word of such a thing happening or being planned was made public… common knowledge to the rest of the _humans_ of their world, the consequences could destroy their power though that is only if the people knew. When you do act against them be very, very careful. Those in charge came for wealth, the workers for assigned duty, the warriors for a fight, and the… dream walkers for knowledge_."

The chief nodded, "_We will. Rameana take her back_."

Jasselle followed Rameana back to where the horses were grazing when Rameana asked, "_Would they hurt the children_?"

"_If given the option… maybe, but they would probably have to go through _Grace _and the rest of us first. The others may not be as interested in your ways as I am, but they love this world and the children_."

"_We will have to stop sending them to school_."

"_When the time comes many things will change_," Jasselle agreed. As they mounted, Jasselle felt more comfortable with the bond and riding. "_You will bring them back to home tree instead of where they have been spending the night_."

Rameana gaped a moment, "_What are you talking about_?"

Jasselle smiled knowing she had landed on their little secret, "_Please, you think I wouldn't guess, after traveling in this jungle several times, how unlikely six warriors guarding several times as many children would actually make this journey in the predawn of the morning day after day_." Rameana nodded turning her horse into the jungle. Jasselle followed and said, "_The others are welcomed to think that, but you are sensible people and I can see the possibilities_."

"_You know much_," Rameana admitted.

"_I love learning and figuring things out. Questions are like rain to me. I prefer not to get thirsty too long_."

Rameana laughed bringing her mount to a gallop. The ride was fairly quiet. As they neared the avatar yard Jasselle could tell it was long passed time for the children to have been released from their lessons. Rameana brought her within sight of the yard with no sign of the warriors or the children.

Jasselle dismounted and before she could wish Rameana a good evening, Ramean said, "_Come to the clearing tomorrow_?"

"_Rameana, are you sure I am allowed_?"

"_You will see me, if you are not_."

"_Have a safe journey till then and beyond_."


	5. Healing and Learning

This chapter starts where the last left off. The same evening just as Jasselle enters the avatar yard.

Side note: while everyone in the avatar movie belongs its creator. SG is supposed to be the technician that helped Jake and the others escape, but I don't know his name. Jasselle, Rameana, Vitingon, and his girlfriend I would very much consider mine.

* * *

Once Jasselle was inside the yard she shoved all thoughts of the mining aside so she could focus on being happy and giving good news. A proper mask to wear to hid her secrets. Grace and others had discipline to let her return to her human body, but once there the flood of questions broke. They practically carried her to the mess hall, where the soldiers had been trying to talk to her before but the scientists pushed them aside. Jasselle tried to eat, but it was difficult when everyone wanted her to answer their questions.

"You rode one of their horses?" SG repeated.

Jasselle swallowed and nodded, "Yes, I got to play tourist I guess."

She took a bite quickly as the others asked questions like: "Where did you go?" and "What did you see?"

Jasselle held up her hand to stall the questions till she was ready, "Through the jungle and within sight of home tree. You don't realize how big it is till you actual see it."

The scientists laughed and kept up the questions until Jasselle snapped, "Can't you wait till I log it."

"All right, all right," Mary said giving her shoulder a squeeze, "Just think they might let you into home tree someday."

Jasselle nearly choked and recovered as SG pounded her back, "That would be something, wouldn't it? Water."

Just as Jasselle was getting up to leave, the com at her waist went off. It wasn't SG, he was sitting across from her. "Hello?" she answered.

"Jasselle, is Sam there?" a tech asked.

"Yes, you need him," she said pointing to SG. "What's up?" He rounded the tables.

"Out in the yard, the cameras are picking up something, but it's creepy around. It might be a Na'vi, but I can't tell."

"Really? We'll be right there," she hung up and turned to SG, "Someone's spotted a possible Na'vi in the yard." She tossed her dishes into the dish return.

"That's strange," SG said. Several people followed them back to the link room. Once there the tech and SG went over the previous and current camera feeds. It did take a while for a decent picture of the Na'vi to be captured.

Jasselle let a soft groan escape before stopping it.

"You know that Na'vi?" David said, an operator who was the resident Mineralogist (studies rocks and dirt).

"Kind of, we met today. She's sort of having some problems, I tried to be supportive, kind, you know. She blew me off. I guess she wants to have a word with me, at least I hope it's a word. Excuse me," she said going to the nearest pod. "And no one is to turn on any of the eyes or ears in my tent."

"Like we would," SG snapped.

Jasselle pulled down the lid and said, "I wasn't talking to you."

Once in her avatar, Jasselle picked up both sword and rod before tapping an orb light on. With Na'vi willing to visit her tent, she had taken to stocking the tent better, although she longed for candles or even incense neither were permitted on the base. The orb's glow was soft in the early evening. Jasselle crept to the flap and peered out. She saw no sign of the Na'vi, so she opened the grate and stepped out. She looked about the yard, everything looked normal. She started to walk about, acting as though she had heard something but didn't know what. Then the Na'vi woman rushed her. Jasselle drew her rod and met the woman's bow as she swung. They stood there, weapons locked, and stared into the other's eyes. It was plain to see the woman had been crying. Jasselle waited knowing that calm would beat sadness in a contest of patience.

"_It didn't work_," the woman all but shouted.

Jasselle sighed and sheathed the rod, "_Come inside and we will talk_."

"_Why should I trust you_?"

"_For the same reason you came here_," Jasselle fired back without heat. "_Come in or go home. It's getting late by my terms and I've had a long day_." She walked to her tent and held the flap open, "_Be welcomed in my home and at my hearth_."

The woman looked miserable but entered anyway. Jasselle turned on a couple more lights as she said, "_Years ago, I thought getting mated would answer my questions, took time to learn I needed to find the answers myself_." The woman said nothing, just looked around. "_What did you do after we parted_?" she asked settling on the floor, picking up her nearly complete hammock, and started working on it.

The woman slipped to the floor looking at the orb light that sat as a mocking substitute for a fire. She said, "_I went to my banshee. She didn't understand what I showed her or why_."

"_Through the bond I'm guessing_."

"_Of course, what else would I have done_?"

"_Talk… I said you should speak to someone. The bond I guess would keep the hurt inside where it can stay and fester like poison. Speaking gets it out of your system, maybe not all at once but perhaps enough for the time being_." The woman glanced at her then the hammock. "_What's your name_?"

"_Gi-chen. What is that_?"

"_Hopefully, it will be a bed that is like the ones your people are used to. But this doesn't matter right now. How are you feeling_?"

"_I'm so confused. I don't even know why I even bothered to come here_."

Jasselle nodded, "_That's normal. How did it start_?" She pulled out a wooden cup and filled it with water.

"_I was hunting. A man, I didn't really know, sort of appeared and began hunting with me, but I never invited. When I lined up a kill he would take it. In the proper fashion, but still_," she explained as Jasselle pressed the cup into her hands. She didn't really notice as she describe what this man did. To Jasselle it sounded like a strange combination of apparent courting acts and things meant to make Gi-chen feel unable to take care of herself. "_More than a moon cycle later, he told me he had chosen me to be his mate, but I didn't want him. When I said no, he… he…_" She took a drink only to find she had already emptied the cup.

Jasselle refilled it and silently moved closer to her. Jasselle nodded to her and waited for her to try again. Gi-chen drank and rubbed her eyes before speaking, "_He grabbed me and shook me. He wanted to know who else would want me_."

"_Did he… hurt you_?" Jasselle asked carefully, fearing the worst.

"_He shoved me away and left. After all that he left, just left_," Gi-chen looked baffled.

"_And nothing else_?"

"_He watches me still_."

Jasselle thought but didn't say, 'You are very fortunate.' She rubbed Gi-chen's arms and replied, "_You know, he was wrong_." Gi-chen looked into Jasselle's eyes. "_Vitingon stepped back with advice from Rameana, yes, but he is willing to wait for you to make up your own mind_."

"_He is_," Gi-chen said hopefully.

"_He is a little confused about what is going on, but man enough to let you get your feet back under you_."

"_My feet_?"

Jasselle winced, "Human _saying it means… to find stability when things have fallen apart around you. You said you felt confused, like inside you're on ground you can barely stand on_."

"_Yes, that's how it has been_."

"_You must find the strength to make the ground within you stable so you can easily stand. Does that make sense_?" Jasselle asked, and Gi-chen nodded. "_How do you feel_?"

"_I'm not sure_," Gi-chen said slowly, "_Tired but strangely lighter_."

Jasselle said, "_That's a start. You may stay the night, if you wish_." Gi-chen looked at her then about. "_If we finish this_," indicating the hammock. "_We will both have a place to rest. I am willing tell you a story as long as you promise to tell no one_," Jasselle smiled in a way that promised the story would be amusing and laughter would be good for Gi-chen.

Gi-chen agreed and as they finished hammock Jasselle told a story from her own past that involved an old friend, really high heels, and a large puddle of mud. By the end, Gi-chen was laughing freely and the hammock didn't turn out too badly. They hung it from the roof grates between the roof cover and the wall curtains.

With Gi-chen ready to settle, Jasselle locked the grate, turned off the lights, and settled on her floor mat. Once back in her human body, she had to remind the scientists that the conversation with Gi-chen was not up for discussion or record. Having her willing to spend the night was the real victory for the program. Jasselle knew this would please Grace.

* * *

In the morning, she practically danced through her morning routine. At breakfast, she found a soldier who was quite friendly and liked to talk about his job. That information when put with what she already had access to would build a good intelligence basis for her to use. In a couple more days, Jasselle should be expecting replies from her Wicca allies.

In the link room, SG was helping Mary get linked up. "You're up early," Jasselle noted.

Mary smiled apparently excited and said, "I finally got some comparison samples from a healthy viper wolf."

"That's good, from who?"

"Some of the soldiers."

Jasselle stopped walking to the pods and asked, "And just how did **soldiers** get **samples** from a **healthy** viper wolf?"

Mary paused, realizing the strangeness of the statement, "I'm not sure actually."

"I would like to see these samples before you start working, if that's all right?"

"Sure thing," she said. "You really have a way with words," Mary pointed out before closing the lid.

"I blame my mother and my teachers," Jasselle said settling into her own pod.

Once linked, Jasselle saw Gi-chen was still asleep. She moved quietly about gathering her kit hoping she would be allowed to meet Rameana at the clearing. Just as Jasselle she trying to figure out how to open the grate without disturbing Gi-chen, the woman woke up. Gi-chen was a person who came awake all once. She smiled and gracefully rolled out of the hammock. Jasselle opened the grate and said, "_Morning_."

"_You wake early_," she said picking up her bow. "_Like a Na'vi_."

"_Yes, I like to see the sun rise when I can. You seem better_," Jasselle noted. Gi-chen paused, reflected, and nodded with a slow smile. "_Good, that's very good_."

"_I should head back to home tree soon_," she said following Jasselle outside.

Jasselle surveyed the yard, and waved to the cabin where Mary was waiting at the grate. "Mary _needs to show me something first, but I am to met Rameana shortly_." Mary stepped out and waited for Jasselle to join her.

"_Oh, then may I join you_?"

"_Friends are always welcome_," she said warmly. To Mary, she asked, "So where are these samples?"

"Over here, I think," Mary said indicating an odd door that Jasselle hadn't paid a lot of attention to before.

Through the window Jasselle saw a long table in the middle surrounded by cabinets, and the usual lab equipment all made to the avatar's size. On the table was something covered with a sheet. "That looks really big for samples," Jasselle observed.

Mary dismissed it, "That's probably something else."

Jasselle shrugged and punched in her key code. The door buzzed negative and the red light flashed. "Oh, guess I'm not welcomed here."

"Well, you're not exactly doing research here."

"Pardon, are you saying I'm not a scientist? Or that my work doesn't qualify as science?" she asked a little cross.

"No," Mary insisted, "You study the Na'vi. You can't do your work in a lab like most of us. It's probably why they like you better than everyone else." Mary punched in her code. The door slide open and the changing air rushed about. Jasselle and Gi-chen waited while Mary searched for her samples.

"_What was wrong? You seemed annoyed_," Gi-chen asked.

"_She sort of implied that my work wasn't like theirs and I took it to mean not as important. She didn't mean it that way, but others have said such things and it rubs me the wrong way_."

Gi-chen laughed softly, "_You have so many interesting sayings_."

"_The longer you are around me, the more you will more than likely hear_," Jasselle shrugged and turned to Mary, "Is it here?"

"They said it would be. I was hoping to get the machines going before the school started."

Jasselle looked at the table. It was the only logical place left to check. She wordlessly stepped inside and flicked the sheet aside.

"Jasselle what are… oh my," Mary said stepping closer. The women stared at the table; under the sheet was a dead viper wolf. It was whole just shot in the rib cage. "I didn't need," Mary said getting angry. "I didn't ask. Jasselle, I swear I didn't know they meant… this."

"Samples indeed," Jasselle said coldly, "The worst part is I'm not surprised. They're jarheads, what do they know or care. Why did they do this? They can't say it attacked them. The aircrafts don't or at least shouldn't touch down during patrols. So why?"

"It's such a waste," Mary snapped.

Jasselle turned to Gi-chen, she stared at the viper wolf a little shocked. "_Gi-chen, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let you come here_."

Gi-chen stepped over the viper wolf, rested a hand on its head and spoke of its passing.

Jasselle sighed and stroked the viper wolf saying the Wicca words in her mind. As her hand passed over its belly, she felt something more. The viper wolf seemed plumper than others she had seen. With a sickening thought she turned her hand and felt the area closer. Then she grabbed Gi-chen and pulled her out of the lab. Her voice was no louder than before but her tone was icy, "Mary, you should have plenty of samples. There's at least two fetuses in her." Mary gasped and started to stammer something, but Jasselle walked away making sure Gi-chen came with her.

Gi-chen yanked her arm back, "_What's wrong? What is so bad_?" She stepped in front of Jasselle to stop her.

"_I don't know what your word is to explain_," Jasselle said racking her brain for the right words.

Grace walked over quite pleased, "_I heard you had a very interesting night. I see you_."

"_This is Gi-chen_," Jasselle introduced but didn't meet Grace's eyes.

"Jasselle, _what's wrong_?" Grace asked concerned.

She rubbed at her new headache, "_Our… warriors brought _Mary _a dead viper wolf and called it a _sample_. It was for her to compare to the sick one that I killed here in the yard. Gi-chen saw it and gave it the passing. I checked the body and found…_Grace, _what's the Na'vi word for _pregnant?"

Grace stared at her and glanced at Gi-chen before stating, "Oh shit."

"_What_?" Gi-chen asked frustrated. "_What is _pregnant?"

"_It is when… a woman has… little ones_," she placed a hand over her womb, "_here_."

Gi-chen made a sound of disgust. "_Pregnant is our word_."

"_Pregnant_," Jasselle said testing the word. She sighed and said, "_Let's get out of here. There's nothing anyone can do about this now_."

Before she could leave Grace took her arm and said, "_I will be back by the end of the week and I want to have a long talk with you and the rest of our team_. You are really behind in your forms and RDA wants them done. _No leaving the base after today till they are_." She used enough Na'vi to make sure Gi-chen also knew Jasselle's orders.

"Paperwork," Jasselle muttered. "_I'll see if I can work it in_."

"_You will or they will cut you out completely. I can't lose you to something this silly_," Grace ordered.

"_Go teach your students, _Grace."

Gi-chen and Jasselle left the yard and entered the jungle. Jasselle followed, noting how Gi-chen checked the ground for trails. When they entered the clearing Jasselle received a much better welcome than the first time, but there were some confusion over Gi-chen's presents. Vitingon was there, as was Rameana. Jasselle glanced at Gi-chen who was nervously glancing at Vitingon. Jasselle whispered, "_You are a warrior and a woman. I am certain you can handle one man_."

Gi-chen took a deep breath and nodded. She walked over to him and said, "_We should talk_." Vitingon nodded and they walked out of sight.

The others gathered around Jasselle. "_Why was she with you_?" Rameana asked.

"_Last night Gi-chen was ready to help herself all I did was listen, mostly_."

"_To what_?" "_What do you mean_?" "_What was wrong with her_?"

Jasselle held up her hands and half scowled them, "_That is between her and now I, but I think it's all right now_."

"_But in the _Tarot, _you called the last _card _the _hermit, _wise one_," Rameana asked.

"_It turned out to be me, I guess, and now him, if he simply listens_."

"_What is _Tarot?" the bow woman asked.

"_They are leaf size pictures that have meanings to tell the future_," Rameana explained. The Na'vi suddenly buzzed with questions.

Jasselle laughed, "_And here I was hoping to convince someone to teach me something new_."

"_And to plan_," a male said reminding everyone of the mining. They all sobered quickly.

"_I found we have about three moon cycles before the _mining_, digging begins_."

"_Do you plan to wait till then_?" the male demanded.

"_No, I did something before I was lead to home tree_." The Na'vi blinked at her. Jasselle continued, "_As I told those at home tree, I had already committed myself to this fight. If I get caught, I'm already in trouble_."

"_Well_," Rameana asked, "_What was it_?"

"_Not much, under the tough hides of those… _machines… _I mean, tools lies a complex mass of very…_ technical…_ I won't even try to translate that, but pieces. Though complex it is actually quite delicate. You mess with the right piece and whole will collapse. In my case, I found the tools will be… worked from inside the base not at the actual _machines… _tools_."

"_How does this help us_?" the bow woman asked.

"_They still must be able to see what the tools are doing and where they are going. I played with the… that part just enough on two of their transports that in the next few days, I should hear about some trouble_."

"_Can they fix this_?"

"_Probably, but I don't know what or how much they brought for maintaining those tools_."

"_I thought you said you had sent for help_."

"_Well, 'sent for help' is relative, which leads me to needing to explain some good news and some bad news_."

"_What do you mean bad news_?" one of them asked.

"_The bad news is that a journey from that world to this one takes six years. My _Wicca _allies cannot simply come. A message takes several days to go from here to there and the same amount of time to come back. I believe, I will hear from an ally in the next few days_."

"_What is the good news_?" Rameana asked hopefully.

Jasselle grinned, "_It is a six year journey from that world to this one_."

"_What_?"

"_Wait, wait. Please listen. All the people at the base, all the tools, weapons and what not- is all that they have. They will not get anymore anything for at least another five years, which is when the next transport is due in. That transport will have my brother on it. He is a warrior of their ways, he can help us should this last that long_."

"_So… they are limited_," one said beginning to understand.

"_Exactly, they are not versed in making things out of what they can find here either. When they lose something or it breaks, to them it's gone. Yes, they have some replacements, but __**only**__ so many. When one of their warriors dies there is no one to take his place_."

"_This is good. How can your allies help us_?"

Jasselle sighed, "_I am praying a _techno pagan_ will answer my call at least. If one of them answers, the aid will be great_."

"_What's a _tech… techno…?"

"Techno pagan," Jasselle repeated slowly. "_They are master manipulators of all those complex tools I sometimes call _machines. _They are still _Wicca_ guardians, but their weapons and battlefield are very different from the one you know. I know of it, but do not understand it even at the novice level. In the meantime, there is something anyone of your clan can do to slow down _RDA's _plans_."

"_Ah, much better_," the bow woman said eagerly.

"_But you must be very careful not to be seen_," Jasselle cautioned. The Na'vi nodded and waited for her to tell them. "_Now when the warriors, the workers, or the tools go outside the base have there been any incidents… Let's say, someone gets hurt or worst_." The Na'vi nodded. "_And when this happens, their tools are left attended for a time or forgotten all together, correct_?" Again they nodded. "_Well, you could start making certain that those limited resources never make it back to base. Not every time of course, but enough that they don't realize what's happening. If you hide them some place dry, should this last long enough for my brother to become involved. I think he will find a way to turn such items against the _RDA _people_."

"_That we can do. They believe we are stupid, correct_?"

Jasselle nodded, "_Prove them wrong_." All the Na'vi smiled.

"_To other matters_," the bow woman said. "_This _Tarot?"

"_I knew this would come up_," Jasselle replied reaching behind her where she had strapped the card box to her harness and pulled it out. "_Please be careful with them, it's my only set_."

As the Na'vi looked through the Tarot cards, Vitingon and Gi-chen returned. Both looked much more relaxed. Vitingon took a moment to speak to his sister as Gi-chen went to Jasselle. "_Thank you_," she said.

"_I didn't do a whole lot. You did most of the work_."

Gi-chen smiled and said, "_He also told me of this reading_."

Jasselle swallowed a groan, "_I know the _Wicca _and the _Tarot _is what got your clan's interest, finally, but I didn't come to simple tell fortunes_."

"_No, you came to learn our ways_," Rameana said, "_You should begin by learning to move as one of us. Learn today, tell fortunes tomorrow_." There were nods all around. They returned the cards and Jasselle spent the rest of her time following Rameana, Vitingon, and Gi-chen through the jungle. She paid close attention as they pointed out tracks and creatures that were well hidden. Vitingon found a litter of viper wolf pups playing under the watchful eye of their mother. The sight was happy but it only reminded Jasselle of the body back at base. One look at Gi-chen confirmed she was thinking the same thing. Once they had slipped away they explained to Vitingon why his find brought no joy to them. Rameana and Vitingon were saddened by what had happened and reminded them to let it go.

By evening, Jasselle was very tired and hungry, but very satisfied. Her Na'vi friends took her back to the clearing where Gi-chen reminded her, "_Didn't_ Grace _limit you to the yard for a time starting tomorrow_?"

"_Again_?" Rameana asked annoyed.

"_Again, what do you mean again_?" Gi-chen asked.

"_I think this will be the fourth time_," Rameana stated.

"_Only the third and both the other times I was sick or injured. I wouldn't count them_." Jasselle winced and turned to Gi-chen, "_She did say something about that, didn't she? Why did you have to remember? … Maybe, I could just pretend I forgot and come here anyway to tell fortunes like we agreed_."

Some of the Na'vi laughed but Gi-chen stood firm, "_You should do your duty and speak with her. She is troubled_."

Jasselle nodded, "_You noticed it too. Now, who's playing the wise one_?"

"_I continue to learn too_," she said. She looked fondly at Vitingon and Jasselle knew everything would be fine between them.


	6. Trouble Brewing

During the week, Jasselle dragged her feet with the forms. She really didn't like filling out all that stuff, and all the other projects she worked on didn't require any forms but the initial request forms. The inventory, equipment, time logs, and the rest always seemed like a bigger pain than it could be useful.

When Grace and her team arrived not only was Jasselle waiting but the rest of the team as well. They gathered in the link room, all the operators, technicians, and scientists. Leaning against pods, if they had no chair. Grace walked about the room's ring. "What's been going on?" No one bothered to answer. "Something's causing us to go downhill and I want to know what it is."

"Define down hill?" Jasselle asked seated in a pod.

"Our link time is being cut back. The children seem more distance. The soldiers are acting stupid, but more than normal. And you, you are making great strides with the Na'vi, but not wearing you recording equipment regularly."

"Which I supplied at my cost and will use at my discretion."

"You're a part of this team," Grace reminded her and looked to the others. "We've all been working hard, but RDA isn't agreeing."

"There's so many variables," SG said.

Mary shrugged, "It's hard for me to get samples for my work, not to mention life-threatening for the most part."

"What was the story they gave you about the viper wolf?" Jasselle asked.

Mary glared at no one in particular, "One with missing pieces, they're bad liars."

Jasselle leaned forward with a cold, yet sly look while asking, "Now why would they lie?"

"Is that really important?" David snapped. "They won't let me take samples anymore. I was hired to study the minerals of this planet and now they won't let me do my job. I'm stuck."

Jasselle rolled her eyes knowing her hint was already disregarded. "So, we can cut back on your time."

"Hey!"

"And I will start picking up loose soil and rocks for you when I go out into the jungle." David nodded. "I've also got another idea to help you and Bio-girl out." Betsy grinned at the nickname. "My problem is simple, the Na'vi are people not subjects for analysis. You deal with children who are still learning. I'm dealing with adults mostly who are willing to learn, but see us as unwilling to learn. No," Jasselle said stopping the interruptions, "You are researching not learning what they believe is important knowledge and skills."

"That's your job," another operator said. Jasselle shook her head. "I didn't come here to go camping or run around practically naked."

Jasselle pinched the bridge of her nose, "When in Rome…"

"Enough, we must work together," Grace snapped.

"If it's a question of energy, we haven't set up the solar panels that came in with the last transport," SG said.

"Solar panels?" Jasselle repeated, "Renewable energy, that the Na'vi would find interesting and see as a sign of respect to them from us."

"Then why aren't they installed?" Mary asked.

Grace groaned, "They won't lend us the workers to lift them into place." Jasselle raised her hand like she was a student in a classroom and waited till the other comments quieted. "Yes, Jasselle. Is there something you wish to share with the rest of the class?"

Jasselle was more than willing to play along and answered, "Yes, ma'am. If there was another way to get panels into place, can someone here hook them up?"

"Yes, of course. That's the only thing stopping the technicians."

Jasselle favored them with a look of annoyance and pointed out, "And why can't we use the avatars as pack mules. Come on people, let's just use some common sense."

"But…"

"But what? Let's get something done. Where are the panels stored?"

"In the hanger's hold."

"Why are they there?" Mary asked. "It's our equipment."

"Forget it. SG, hook my avatar on speaker. I'll go get the crate," Jasselle said sliding into the pod properly.

"Crates," David said going to another pod, "hook me up to. I'll help you."

Grace said, "We still need to talk."

"That's what the com is for," Jasselle replied shutting the lid.

As David and Jasselle walked over to the hanger, they were stopped several times by various soldiers. The conversation in the link room moved to what the Corp was doing. Jasselle just sighed at the office politics. She knew there was no getting away from it, but she had yet to acquire taste for them. At the hanger, the guards stopped them and demanded the two avatars submit the proper authorization before they would release any equipment into their possession. "Grace, we need some help here," David said.

"What is it?" she asked.

"The guards won't open the hanger without the proper you know what."

"Give me a minute."

"Hey puppet!" a soldier shouted, "Does your human side have that outfit?" Several other soldiers laughed with him.

"If I do," Jasselle shot back, "you little boys, just lost any chance of seeing that body in it." Now those soldiers were getting laughed at. "Jerks," she muttered.

"What was that?" Grace asked.

"Not you."

Eventually, the hanger doors were opened and three crates were wheeled out. The soldier in charge made David sign a form. Both pen and form were human size. He took enough tries that the soldiers were obliviously trying not to laugh. To the dismay of both there were more crates that they would have to come back and get later.

David and Jasselle carefully maneuvered them back to the avatar yard. With the basic topics out of the way, Grace and the other avatars were waiting for them along with the technicians. The rest of the day was spent hauling the panels and other parts to the roof while the technicians began the set up. Jasselle prayed for messages, she needed help and RDA obviously had the scientists too wrapped up in their work to see the big picture.

It was early evening, when Grace called a halt and the avatars went to their sleeping quarters. Jasselle found the hammock to be quite comfortable, even better than a bed. When she returned to her human body, Grace was waiting. Grace was fairly quiet through dinner, which was unusual seeing as she had just returned. Her glare detoured all but the most persistent of soldiers from speaking with Jasselle. After dinner, Grace followed Jasselle back to her quarters and pretty much invited herself in. "A little cramped isn't it?" Grace commented.

"It works for my needs," Jasselle said picking up a pile of reference disks so Grace could have some place to sit. "I assume there's more to talk about."

Grace nodded, "You've been acting strangely lately. Your reports are very precise as always. But your habits inside the base have changed. You talk to the soldiers more now than your colleagues. The recording devices have been acting up some days, or you don't put them on. You are spending more time with the Na'vi than anything else, and I didn't expect you to have so much success after so few months. And yet, I believe something more is going on with you. "

Jasselle leaned against the wall appearing to think it over before speaking, "Grace, I'm not sure what I should say. I'm not hiding anything important. I think however, they are from our department."

"What?" Grace demanded.

Jasselle cocked her head to the side, "I've already hinted at possibilities."

"When?"

"During the meeting?"

Grace glared and tried to remember, but quickly gave up, "Well, tell me plainly."

"No, I would like to, but no. Tomorrow I'm going back to the area where I found cursed leader and the honey. The healer challenged me, and I intend to succeed."

"Jasselle," Grace sighed, "Why are you being difficult?"

"Why are you giving up so easily?"

They stared at one another for a minute or so. Grace broke the contest first, "Come see me when you are ready to talk."

"Come see me when you understand," Jasselle said. Grace got up and left with more questions instead of the answers she wanted.

Once alone Jasselle whispered, "Grace, you are smart woman. Please, if you understand, may you come to stand with me. If that time comes, let it be in time to make a difference." She locked the door and checked her messages. To her surprise, she had a message from a woman she didn't know. But once the image was up, she didn't mind at all. The woman wore a cross star around her neck, but dangling from it was a charm that to the untrained eye would appear to be a square jewel. The charm was a small block of microchips that was centuries old. It was the symbol of a techno pagan. The woman's message was long and made to sound as though she was an old friend of Jasselle's. As she spoke, she emphasis on certain words and syllables. Jasselle had to smile, those emphasized pieces were Gaelic words when she blocked out the rest. She had to listen to the message twice to get the real message: the woman agreed with Jasselle over protecting Pandora, she advised caution, and had hidden some aid within the message's code. That knowledge sent Jasselle hunting through her digital notebook for a hidden directory where everything was completely in Gaelic for the instructions to reveal the techno pagan's data.

Once the message was downloaded into the notebook, it took Jasselle several hours to uncover the hidden aid and hide all the pieces throughout the notebook. Under each image of the message was a single condensed file. Some were blueprints to typical mining equipment, though not to build or fix, but to sabotage them. Others were programs with instructions of how and where to implement them. The audio of the message contained yet another message in spoken Gaelic of questions that the woman and other Wiccas wanted answered about not only the mining but Pandora as well. The message was a treasure, and she sent a reply in the same code expressing her gratitude and answering their questions the best she could. Jasselle implemented one program right away, which would give her a master key code that would not be recorded or time stamped. Soon she could start with real work, stopping RDA.

* * *

By morning, Jasselle's head hurt. She was reminded why she dealt with people not their machines. Being a non-school day most of the avatar operators were sleeping in. SG assured her that Mary and Betsy would be around in the next hour. These jungle tracks were as much for her learning of being a Na'vi as seeing the wildlife and plant life of the planet for both of them. He confirmed her ride was making their final preparations for the flight to the jungle location.

Missy and her crew were familiar and comfortable with the routine, minus Grace was probably why they were cracking more bad jokes. They dropped her off quickly and flew off. Jasselle took her time, watching not only for the bird but also for the more dangerous animals. It seemed someone was following her, but they didn't show themselves.

She was chased up the trees twice, once by a small pack of viper wolves, then by a larger creature that reminded Jasselle of pictures the extinct rhinos of Earth, but the horn was sideways instead straight up. Near the area where she first saw the bird, she heard similar chirping. She erred on caution and continued on without looking. She stopped when she heard another bird chirping with the first. Looking up she saw two birds with almost the same coloration. One had a broken beak, and she knew she would have remembered that feature. She followed them carefully hoping the cursed leaders would lead her to more honey, not danger as they were said to do. When she heard buzzing of insects she gave a sigh of relief. Mentally, she thanked her mother for pounding the phase 'always mind your manners' into her.

She smoked the nest as before with the same result. She gathered more of the honeycomb in a better container and then wondered how she was going to feed both birds with one staff. Jasselle set up her staff with the honeycomb on top and the bird with the unbroken beak landed on it. The other watched and chirped in probable sadness or annoyance. Jasselle looked over the back of her hand where she had gotten scratched last time. She pulled off her skirt and wrapped the material around her forearm and draped the remaining honeycomb on her hand. She held out her arm and stood very still. The broken beaked bird watched her a few moments and flew. It landed on the material and daintily peak at the honeycomb. Jasselle mouth hung open slightly surprised, though she remained still. Mary buzzed in her ear for her to get a better look and other angles with the camera hidden in the center of her headband. Jasselle slowly lowered her arm to look straight onto the bird. It didn't seem to notice or care. Keeping her arm in the same position, Jasselle tried to look the bird over so Mary could have her images that way. Then she remembered that with the container, she had also brought a proper camera. She pulled it out and took images of both birds and the insects.

Once unbroken beak bird was finished with its honey, it looked at her and the broken beak bird before leaving. When broken beak finished its honey, it seemed content to sit on her arm. Jasselle had held parrots before and settled her arm in the proper position. The bird didn't budge, appearing to have no interest in moving, which could be a good thing. As she recalled, most birds normal flew when there was danger, so she could consider herself safe as long as the bird stayed. She gathered her staff and picked her way along the jungle floor toward the rendezvous point.

Not long after, Jasselle thought she heard a rustle in the brush, but the bird was calm. Jasselle wasn't too sure anymore that she should trust the bird, so she stayed close to the trees checking to see if she could climb them quickly. She gripped her staff in more of a weapon position. Moments later, she felt the bird's muscles bunch. Jasselle threw her arm up as the bird took off smacking her in the face. She stumbled back hearing something coming out of the brush. Jasselle swung up her staff to the guard position.

"_That looked like it hurt_," the healer said amused.

Jasselle lowered her staff and rubbed her chin where the bird's wing had hit her. "_The bird didn't mean it. At least I don't think so_."

The healer smiled, "_Perhaps_." She held out her arm and the bird landed.

Jasselle stared a moment and shook her head, "_I should have known the bird had to have done this before_."

"_You are learning well_."

"_It helps to have people willing to teach_."

"_We have always been willing to teach, you seem to be the only one willing to learn_," the healer pointed out, sending the bird into the air, and motioned her to follow. "_You have a hidden way to speak with those who are not here_." The healer glared a moment daring Jasselle to tell her otherwise.

Jasselle nodded, "_Yes, many of the dream walkers are not what they would call fond of the great outdoors._" She spread her arms to indicate the jungle. "_The hidden ear is here_," she said taking off her ear clasp and turning it over. The beading of the ear clasp hid a small black com-link, the part that dangled a bit held the receiver.

The healer looked it over and stated, "_I was wondering why you wore such decorations_."

Jasselle thought, 'It's not that bulky.' She smiled embarrassed and shrugged, "_Well, there are some _humans _who wear such decorations and more as part of their daily clothing_."

"_Are they shamans or leaders_?"

Jasselle put the clasp back on, "_Not always, but it can be a status symbol but they do it more to attract attention_."

"_Odd_," the healer said, "_They seem heavy and could be dangerous_."

Jasselle nodded, "_I made these as light as I could. I have had practice wearing worst decorations and dealing with the danger they cause. I hope it will be enough_."

The healer nodded, "_Would you like to learn something or must you go_?"

Jasselle looked up and judged the time saying, "_I have some time and plenty of room in my head to learn more_."

The healer led her through a lesson in the various plants nearby. Jasselle learned their names, what they were food for, and how some of them could be used for healing. Jasselle heard the scientists argue over the closest seat to the receiver before Bio-girl won. Jasselle asked her own questions and the one's Bio-girl asked. The healer was very patience and seemed pleased to have an eager student. More than an hour later, for they lost track of time, Jasselle's com-link went off. She apologized to the healer and stepped away to answer it. "Hello?"

"Are you all right?" Missy ordered, "Where are you?"

"I'm fine. What's…?" Jasselle paused and glanced at the com-link clock, "Oh, I am so sorry. I had no clue it was that late."

"Well, get over here, before I'm running on fumes."

"Right, I will. Bye," she said. She turned to the healer, who calmly watched her. "_I have been ordered to get to the… _aircraft _as quickly as possible so the team can go home_."

"_Another time then_," the healer said and pointed into the jungle, "_This _aircraft _waits over there, I believe_."

"_Thank you_," Jasselle said, "_Thank you so much_."

* * *

At the base, Mary and Bio-girl were very excited to go over the images and recordings that Jasselle brought back as the others hooked up the last of the solar panels. Jasselle recorded the day's events and her feelings about them mentioning that now with her hidden ear exposed she would have to be pickier about when and where she wore it.

David stood by watching Mary and Bio-girl enjoy their spoils while he didn't have single new rock to review. Jasselle pulled him aside and explained her plan that she had hinted at during the department meeting. He was not thrilled about the wait, but relieved Jasselle had a solid plan.

* * *

On the school day, Jasselle implemented her plan with Grace's permission. For the first time, Jasselle stood before the children at the teacher's place. "_I see you all. Good morning. As many of you know I am Jasselle and I am here to learn about your clan, but I also love a good story. For tomorrow, if you all can together achieve a small task there will be no classes_." The children and young adults smiled or laughed. "_We will exchange stories or legends instead. I am certain you know legends that no one among the dream walkers has ever heard. Just as I am sure I know stories of brave people fighting darkness that will be new to you_."

Some of the Na'vi were more excited than others. "_What must we do_?" one of the older students asked.

"_Your task is to help _David_. He collects rock and dirt to study, but he's not allowed to leave the yard and needs help finding new ones. The challenge will be for each of you to bring a different type of _mineral_… rock. The rocks should be about the size of your thumb. If you choose to bring bits of rock, sand or dirt; the amount should be about the same size. I have a bag for each of you the carry your find in_."

As Jasselle passed out the bags, one of the children asked, "_What do you mean different types_?"

"David, _take over_." While David gave a short explanation about rock types and what he was hoping for, Jasselle slipped away to her tent. She gathered her kit and headed out. The scientists were becoming accustomed to her going out like this and they didn't really watch her go.

Jasselle headed for the clearing, hoping no one would mind, and pleased she could see a couple trails. At the clearing, some warriors sat up when she entered and then went back to what they were doing. Others, who she didn't know watched her. She saw the bow woman and T'seng. She shut off her com at her ear and went to T'seng. "_I have received some aid from another _Wicca," she explained.

Several of the warriors gathered around as T'seng asked, "_Well, what is it_?"

"_A collection of ways to cause havoc with their tools. I could do much at the base, but I do not wish to attract too much attention. I would be caught very quickly, I fear_."

"_Is there something in these ways that we can do out here_?" the bow woman asked.

"_Yes, I have images I can show you but I will need to be very careful when I bring them to you… or… *ugh* I can be such a _baka _at times_."

"_What is a _baka?" Rameana asked joining them. "_You have said it several times. Is it a _Wicca _word_?"

"_No, it's word in another language. It can mean stupid, idiot, fool, moron... It's a general term for words like that_," she explained. Some of the Na'vi laughed. "_Using one word for all is so much easier_."

"_What about before with showing us these images_?" T'seng reminded her.

"_My tent, you remember, on school days no one notices when one or two Na'vi come and talk to me in there_."

"_Then we will know how to truly harm them_," T'seng said. The Na'vi nodded.

"_I also need Gi-chen's help with something. And it needs to be done by tomorrow, if possible_."

"_I'll get her_," a male Na'vi said. He jogged over to the horses and rode off.

"_Why Gi-chen_?" another male asked.

Jasselle explained her plan to get the students to help David get samples. Then she explained why, "_By not allowing _David _to do the work he was sent here to do, he nor the other dream walkers know about the rock that _RDA _plans to _mine… _dig. By letting him find this, we can know if he can be trusted, perhaps even the others_."

"_But why Gi-chen_?" the same male asked. Jasselle began to wonder if this was the male who Gi-chen feared.

"_I'll explain when she gets here_."

"_Do you really wish to hear our legends_?" Rameana asked.

Jasselle nodded, "_It's a part of who you are. Stories can be for fun, but they can teach something… have a lesson within them. Why you have one belief instead of another. Legends can also be a part of history, the stories of the heroes of your clan, who a young warrior might wish to grow up to be like_." Many of the Na'vi nodded their understanding.

"_You intend to tell our children such stories_?" the bow woman asked.

"_If they are able to complete the task then yes_," she answered, "_There is a group of stories that have been told and retold many times and have been altered to fit the audience. I believe I can bring some of those to Pandora_."

"_Sounds like fun_," Rameana told her.

The bow woman shrugged and asked, "_Since we must wait, do you have the _Tarot _with you as promised_?"

Jasselle smiled and pulled out the box, "_Right here. I will read the fortune of those who wish to do so. We can read them as the group looks on or privately. The choices are yours_."

A small group of them asked to have their fortunes read, some privately, others not. Between researching the mining and learning from the Na'vi, Jasselle had made time to review her Wicca lessons. It made the readings easier to interpret for one thing and more interesting. Jasselle was coming to accept that Ewya must be real, not an abstract concept like Gaya mostly was.

When Gi-chen arrived with Vitingon in tow, Jasselle was finishing up a private reading with the bow woman whose name she finally learned was Doe'shy. Jasselle noticed how Gi-chen's eyes flickered at the male who had questioned Jasselle about the need for Gi-chen's help. Gi-chen stepped closer to Vitingon and waited. When the bow woman was satisfied, the group gathered again. Jasselle told Gi-chen of her plan and the reasoning behind it.

"_How can I help_?" she asked.

"_We need for one of those rocks to either be _unobtanium_ or at least contain it_," Jasselle explained. "_When you came to the yard that night, you were sneaking around before I came out. Why_?"

"_Why is that important_?" she asked.

"_Please, Gi-chen_."

"_There were small objects on the dark walls with what looked like eyes on them. I didn't wish to be seen before finding you. I was angry, but not foolish_."

Jasselle nodded relieved, "_That's just it, they are eyes of a sort. What they see can be saved like a memory, but viewed at that time or another by many. That's how I already knew you were there. It just took a very long time for one of those eyes to get a good look at you_."

"_Oh_," she said, "_What does that have to do with this rock_?"

"_The only place I know for certain that particular rock is- is where the digging tool is being set up. This means that some of those eyes will be there, not forgetting the more than likely guards. You already know what the metal eyes look like and how to avoid them. This makes you the best person to go and get the rock for _David_ without being seen_."

"_Any warrior could get this rock_," the male snapped. Gi-chen jumped and looked away even as Vitingon hissed at the male.

"_True_," Jasselle said surprising her friends, "_getting the rock isn't hard. It's the matter of getting it without the_ RDA _workers or their warriors knowing. That is something I would rather trust to experience. I know Gi-chen has that experience. I don't know if anyone else here has_." Gi-chen smiled and stood straighter. Jasselle continued, "_In three moon cycles or more, we won't have to be so cautious. Now, I ask for us to take every precaution, because I believe Pandora is worth it. And if a plan to stop them for good is put into action without them being prepared, it will have a better chance to succeed_." The male glanced at Gi-chen, who had been flanked by Vitingon, Rameana, and Jasselle. "_And unlike some women of my culture, the _Wicca _in me demands I speak bluntly to you. I do not like your attitude and I do not approve of it_." Several Na'vi stared at her. Her voice had remained completely even and calm, her face held a kind almost motherly look toward him, but in her eyes were flashes of colder and angrier emotions. "_If one can accomplish a task to satisfaction, I could care less how the person is packaged, so to speak. I wish for you to mind your manners, so that we can continue to work to succeed at the goal that is actually important_." She then gave Gi-chen a meaningful look, and Gi-chen nodded understanding that Jasselle wanted to know if this male was the one who had haunted her in more ways than one. The male stepped back into the group, but did not speak.

"_Jasselle, you have such an interesting way with words_," Gi-chen said impressed.

Jasselle shrugged and said, "_The spoken word can be as powerful as any weapon when used correctly. It is one of the six weapons that cross stars learn_."

"_Six, what do you mean_?" Doe'shy asked.

"_Another time please, right now we need that rock_?" Jasselle insisted looking around to all the present Na'vi. They nodded.

"_So, what does this rock look like_?" Gi-chen asked.

"_In its pure form, it is a shiny, black rock. I doubt that you will find a piece like that with all the workers there. More likely you will find a dirt-colored rock with black specks or grain size pieces in them. The rock only needs to be about the size of your thumb. _David _should be able to chip out those pieces. Then we will know_."

"_I can do this_," Gi-chen said.

"_And I will go with you_," Vitingon said, "_The night is dangerous enough for one without such risk. You will be careful in that place. The weapons…_ missiles… _worry me_." Gi-chen nodded. T'seng went with them knowing the area best.

With the discussion over, the remaining Na'vi wished to return to the fortune telling. One was the male's, and from that reading Jasselle suspected that he wasn't ready to let Gi-chen go and would drag Jasselle into this mess if he could. When all the readings were complete, Doe'shy asked, "_What did you mean by six weapons? A _Wicca _thing again_?"

"_Yes, a cross star belief though, not a thing_," Jasselle explained pulling off her necklace. She wrapped the chain around her hand laying the pendant in the center of her palm to show all of them. Two metal bars in the form of an X with a third bar striking straight down. "_This is the mark of a cross star. On each point is the symbol of a weapon a guardian will be able to use_." She pointed to each symbol as she described them, "_The first is a blade, this represents weapons that are for… _melee… _not ranged weapons. The second is a star, but represents a throwing star for ranged weapons like a bow. The third is the body when one has no weapon but what they were born with. The fourth is the mind, our ability to think, figure, and understand. The fifth is verbal, what we say, how we are heard and understood. The sixth represents the heart and our ability to feel and express our emotions_." She placed the necklace back around her neck. "_There are warriors among the _Wicca, _but guardians are encouraged and trained to attempt to find solutions with the heart, verbal, and mind before turning to the blade, star and body_."

Doe'shy nodded, "_Very well then, you said you know nothing of the bow. I will teach you, if you like_."

"_If I'd like? _Gaya _…Eywa, I mean, I have been praying to learn the bow for a long time_."

The Na'vi laughed and Doe'shy took her aside to begin her lesson. Jasselle turned the ear clasp on to record the lesson. Unfortunately, Jasselle was terrible at the bow. The moment she got one thing right something else would be wrong. It didn't help that she had an audience.

"_Enough_," Doe'shy said as evening drew near to the time when the students' lessons would end. "_For now, to be one of us, you must learn the bow_."

Jasselle sighed returning the bow, "_I understand, some lessons come easier than others_."

"_Come, I will see you home_," Rameana said.

"_Thank you, all of you_."

In the yard, the students were finishing up the day's lessons, so it didn't seem wise to take Rameana to the tent. Jasselle still needed to move her notebook out there. Rameana noticed the timing and simply gathered up the students, several of which showed her the bags and told her what they were for.

When they left, Grace asked, "Did you leave your ear on this time?"

Jasselle shrugged, "For some of it. I just told them about the assignment the children have. Then I spent a long lesson in archery, which didn't go too well." Jasselle shook her head and rubbed her sore muscles.

"Why, bad teacher?" David asked.

"No… bad student," Jasselle sighed, "I just couldn't get anything right."

They laughed.

"I didn't think I would be this bad. I mean the bow looks simple enough. I read there is a lot of technique involved, but I guess I didn't take it seriously. You aim, you draw the arrow, release it and hit what you aimed at."

"Sounds simple," Mary said.

Jasselle looked up to the sky before replying, "It's not."

Grace clasped her shoulder and said, "You have teachers and friends among them. This is getting exciting."

Jasselle nodded and said, "Yes, and with friends comes possible enemies. Grace, do we have a file on Na'vi anatomy, practically a male's?"

"Why?"

Jasselle winced, "I think, I may have more than annoyed someone and I would like to make sure if he picks a fight, I can protect myself."

"Tell me, you're not talking about a warrior," David said.

"It pays to be prepared," Jasselle said. "Do we have such a file?"

Grace stared into her eyes a moment and nodded, "I'll have it sent to your quarters. Please be careful."

"Always."


	7. Telling Tales

I'm sorry this is a short chapter, but I figured the guerilla-like warfare and complications that are about to begin deserved to be the focus of their own chapter.

As this chapter implies, I can write the fairy tale cross over with Avatar, but I am not going to put it in this story. It feels way too off topic for the story.

If you want to read that story let me know and I will make the time to type it up.

* * *

The following morning, the students presented their bags one by one. David was extremely pleased that Jasselle's plan had actually worked. He checked each one, making sure they contained something different. Jasselle stood by with Rameana and Doe'shy. They had arrived with the students; curious about the story she had planned.

When David pulled out a dusty rock loaded with black grains, Jasselle gave an inward sigh of relief. David took a little too much time going through each bag. He was actually sorting the minerals until Jasselle cleared her throat, catching his attention long enough to give him a cold and meaningful glare. The scientist got the hint and hurried up. Finally, David poured sand out of the final bag and announced that the task had been completed.

"_All right_," Grace said, "_No lessons today_."

The children smiled and turned to Jasselle.

Jasselle nodded but asked David, "_Excuse me, _David_. Are you forgetting something? Like say… manners_."

"Huh?" David said, "Oh yes. _Thank you so much for doing this_."

"_That's better. Now, you can run along and play with your new toys_," she teased and the children laughed. David just shrugged. "_The rest of you come along_." She took them to a nearby area of the yard that had a thick carpet of grass. As everyone got comfortable, Jasselle began, "_The story I will be telling has been told for many years on the home world that we dream walkers come from. It has been changed at times to suit the audience, so in that tradition I will make this story suit you and your world. This means at times I may need your help with finding the right words and even the preferred… _hm, Grace what's a good word for version?"

Grace though a moment and shrugged, "I would go with type."

"_What she said. Now the title in_ human _is_ Ladder Locks. _Since neither are Na'vi words, we'll need to fixed this. Now a_ ladder _is something that is only used in climbing. Can someone give me a word to exchange for _ladder?"

"_Rope_." "_Vine_." "_Tangler_." Several of them responded to this new word.

"_What is Tangler_?" she asked.

Rameana answered, "_It is a vine that grows on cliff sides. We use them to climb up into the floating mountains_."

"_That sounds perfect. Next word, locks but this actually means a lock of hair, a grouping of hair_." Jasselle pulled her braid over shoulder and asked, "_So what is your word for this, a _braid?"

"_Braid_," said one of the older students.

"_All right then, this is the story of Tangler Braid. Now, in this family of tales they all start one way… Once upon a time, in a land far, far away lived a happy young couple_…" As Jasselle told the story, Grace and the other scientists eventually recognized it as Rapunzel.

For the students even those who had not been interested in the story idea the day before were drawn in as Jasselle asked them for words and ideas throughout her story. When she finished, she waited a moment or so before asking who was going to tell the next story.

The students looked at Grace, who said, "_Oh no, I'm a bad story teller_." After some argument one of the young adults agreed to tell a common legend. Jasselle had her com-link on so she could record it and any others she could get the Na'vi to tell. During that story, most of the other avatar operators and humans made themselves scarce, not wanting to be asked to tell any stories later. This didn't surprise Jasselle in the slightest, but it did concern her. She had only prepared one story for today.

* * *

Later that evening in the link room, Jasselle pushed up the lid to her pod and stretched. The day had been quite satisfying. She had recorded everything, and the students enjoyed her story as well as the stories of their own people.

Grace, a moment later, pushed up her pod's lid and mildly demanded, "Where is it? Where my cigarette?" Jasselle grinned at the well-worn routine and rolled out of the pod. When Grace had her precious fix, she looked over at Jasselle and said, "Ms. Scully, a fairy tale?"

"Yes, so?" she asked stretching.

"Where did you get the idea to hand them a fairy tale of all things?"

Jasselle chuckled a little, "A little history about yours truly, during my college years, not so long ago. I did a rather large paper for a history class, which was about ancient tales and how they had evolved through changing societies. I'm glad I had the sense to kept it." She started for the door eager to download the day's recordings.

"OK… but Rapunzel, Jasselle?"

Jasselle turned and asked, "Well then, would you have preferred I had Snow White prepared because what would I have done for dwarfs except perhaps humans? And the story of Cinderella would have been impossible, no shoes and the whole one mate deal?"

Grace smiled, "You are so weird." Jasselle blinked and her smile tightened so subtly. "But it works so well here. Was it worth it?"

Jasselle was plainly surprised and looked at Grace as though she had asked a stupid question. "Grace, we got to hear their legends: about how the first flyer was tamed, about how their clan survived a drought, and about Eywa singing to a chosen few during a dark time in their history. Didn't you hear the passion in their words? See the light in their faces? These are important stories to them. Not too unlike the bible stories are to Christians or the words in the Quran to Muslims. It's a part of who they are. What they cherish and find sacred. The people they admire and wish to emulate. And we barely scratched the surface."

Grace shook her head and laughed, "To think RDA nearly didn't hire you."

"What do you mean? They came to me," she asked.

"Yes, a woman so young. Doing Anthropology as defined centuries ago by not just observing the people but living as the people she studied. This method you revived, which had fallen by the way side to most researchers, in favor for the more comfortable observation method. You were my list, recommended by your professor, my old friend. RDA was looking at the big name scientists for this job. Most didn't want to loose six to twelve years and more of their lives coming here to a distant planet. The rest…" Grace rubbed her fingertips together, "wanted a lot of money. You were hardly published; trying desperately to be respected in the field you obviously take pride in. Of course they came to you, but only after they checked everyone off their list."

"Ouch," Jasselle said. "I was on your list."

"No, Jasselle," Grace explained, "You were the list. Dr. Phillips gave you a glowing recommendation."

"He was sensible. I liked him."

"Yes, he was," she said. "And the higher ups in RDA are corporate pigs?"

"Now and forever," Jasselle turned back and headed out. "I think, I'll have a meal before getting to work now."

"Avoid the pie," warned SG. "I heard the marines talking about it… in the infirmary."

Jasselle leaned back in, "SG, you are the best. Thanks for the warning, I have a small weakness for pie."

"I heard, and your avatar being sick is one thing, you being the one sick is a whole different issue."

"Was that supposed to be a compliment or an insult?" Jasselle asked confused. Everyone laughed.

"A compliment, the doctors don't nag as much when humans are sick. But, man oh man, they sure put up a fuss when it's one of the avatars," SG explained.

Jasselle had to laugh at that and the good mood followed her into the mess hall.


	8. Life Doesn’t Stop for Anything

Now things get really complicated. If parts sound stop and go, it was my intention to try to get a feeling of near chaos that is becomes a part of Jasselle's life.

* * *

In the days that followed the trading stories session, Jasselle's life gradually became more and more complex. She felt as though she was living separate lives beyond the separate bodies.

* * *

Among the personnel of the base, the humans, she had one life that was very routine and predictable to them. She got up each morning around sunrise, exercised in her quarters. She would go to the mess hall and have breakfast with the soldiers that were getting off duty or about to go on duty. To them, she was a shy researcher, who was fascinated about what they did and who they were. From the mess hall, she went straight to the link room and checked her records and logs while talking to whoever was there. Soon after, everyday she would slide into a vacant pod and wake her avatar.

In her avatar, everyone was used to her donning her jewelry and weapon's harness first thing. In the privacy of her tent, she practiced her fighting skills for a short time daily: reviewing the techniques and the weapons that she stored there. She would always carefully check the yard before leaving the safety of her tent. Her diligence conditioning and steady skills impressed the other operators. She performed yoga outside in the yard each day. Before her knowledge of the mining she had included the sword dancing to the morning work out but no longer. No need to constantly remind people she could fight.

On school days, more often than not, one or two Na'vi adults would come with the students to greet her. They would be politely invited to her tent for conversation. Some days the conversations were long. Other days they were short, but always her hidden ear was turned off. Eventually, the conversation would end and the Na'vi would take her into the jungle. The logs she would make in the evenings pleased Grace and looked good for the program.

When there was no school, sometimes Jasselle would take a craft into the jungle for a normal track through a section of wilderness, Some of those days she met Na'vi, usually the healer or Rameana, and they would teach her the ways of their clan. It was mostly calm and uneventful, but there were times the jungle itself posed its own reminder, that it was a dangerous place. When there was no craft available, she would help the other operators as much as she could or her Na'vi friends would surprise her by coming and taking her into the jungle where their horses waited. Grace eventually began to voice her jealousy to Jasselle, in a comrade like way. It was something Jasselle kept in mind, but did not act on.

"_At some point, I hoped you would invite me_," Grace said softly as Jasselle passed her.

Jasselle paused and then replied, "_You want too, I thought the rest of you thought it was too dangerous_?" She looked Rameana who was listening. Rameana's eyes widened, they had plans that day and it wouldn't be good to include an outsider.

"_Well, you seem to be keeping yourself in one piece_," Grace pointed out.

"Grace, _I've had training before this and weeks of training with the Na'vi recently. It is not a good idea to go out to take samples without being a little prepared_."

Grace sighed, "_So you figured that out_?"

"Grace, _it wasn't that hard. I will bring it up with them, I promise_."

"_All right shoo_."

In the evenings, when Jasselle returned to her human body, she would make updates her video log. She often checked if forms had to be updated, because the others knew she detested them but now refused to allow them to jeopardize her link time or her freedom. Once the link room tasks were complete, she would head over, with other scientists and technicians or alone, to the mess hall. With her co-workers they would have conversations about the day's events and the following day's schedule. Alone, the soldiers she had attracted would gather around her and, as the breakfast group did, to keep her company and vie for her attention. After the meal, she would politely bid her dinner party good night and go to her quarters alone.

To all of them, she wore a mask and played a role that seemed so normal and was so easily accepted.

* * *

To the Na'vi, Jasselle's days altered and shifted as each day progressed. There was no routine and no concrete pattern. She did what the clan needed her to do, for them, for Pandora, for Eywa.

On school days, when she had visitors to invite into her tent for conversation, the topic was always the same. The mining was always on their minds, though the categories would shift. They would talk about the stages the different mining equipment was in, how to do harm to those machines, any incidents that occurred to the RDA personnel off base, and what the clan had accomplished.

With her notebook in the tent, she would show them the blueprints that techno pagan had sent her. Almost always the transports were the focus of their attention. Those machines were left unguarded at night, in or out of the base. A fact that puzzled Jasselle, but no one ever found any security cameras no matter how many times they stuck at them. The main mining machine had set guards and security; it wasn't worth the risk, yet.

Since Jasselle spoke to those in the clearing about the techno pagan's aid and the resources, the moment any personnel left the base, the Na'vi knew and followed. Sometimes they would encourage something to happen, sometimes the jungle provided the something, and other times they would only follow and watch. As the incidents increased the number in a group slowly increased, making it harder to cause things to happen without suspicion. The warriors were quite good at figuring out what items would be immediately missed and what wouldn't. Any equipment left for more than a few days, the Na'vi collected. Where these items went was unknown to Jasselle.

When the conversation turned to the plans of the clans, some warriors were more willing than others to tell her. Jasselle could tell none of them knew exactly what the leaders of their clan were planning. She didn't mind not knowing. She knew there was always a chance she could be caught and she couldn't reveal what she didn't know.

Once the talks in the tent ended, the Na'vi would guide her out to the clearing. In the clearing, she left the devices including the rifle that might hold a way to track her movements. From there, other Na'vi would take her about. Some days, it was to see the progress of the mining equipment and explain the weak spots of the equipment she remembered from the notebook. A few days, they led to the bodies of humans: sometimes the soldiers and other times the workers, but not often. Perhaps, they saw how it disturbed her or there weren't that many lethal incidents though she knew of several injuries. She helped pick through the remains for equipment that could be salvaged. It was Rameana's idea to return a few pieces to the base under the guise of a complaint about littering. This only reinforced the military's assumption that the Na'vi were stupid. The little time that was left was spent in learning to be a Na'vi.

On days that there was no school and she had a transport, the day went as everyone believed. She would make a normal track through the jungle. She would meet Na'vi along the way sometimes, and learn whatever they were willing to teach her. Some days they would continue to train her with the bow, but Jasselle was proving to be rather hopeless with that weapon. She learned to find and identify tracks correctly, which relieved her. Many times the Na'vi and her spoke of the planet and Eywa, Jasselle hoped that those listening would understand the real importance of Eywa.

Without a transport, she watched as she helped the other operators for any sign that they know of the mining or join the Na'vi in the jungle for similar activities as she would on school days. The RDA managers were good at making excuses. She had no clue how they were keeping the scientists so blind. It worried her that perhaps the scientists may very well not care about what was going on outside the research department.

It wasn't long since the day when the students brought him the minerals that David turned very quiet. Jasselle quickly noticed how at times there was a RDA worker or personnel where he was. They followed and watched him while trying to appear to watch no one. It wasn't hard to figure out what had probably happened. Jasselle suspected he had found the unobtanium and knew what it meant. Instead of going to Grace like she had hoped, he had gone to the managers of RDA, including Mr. Selfridge. His watchers meant they were making sure he didn't tell anyone among the scientists what he knew.

When she told the warriors about this in the clearing one day, she felt like screaming but instead quietly said, "_Of all the stupid moves_." She had clearly presented to them what David's situation was and her theory as to why.

"_Then it was for nothing_," Gi-chen said sadly. It had been her risk to get that rock.

Jasselle shook her head, "_Not totally, he knows and the fact that those in charge are making absolutely certain that he doesn't tell any of the others could mean that he intended to_."

"_That doesn't help us though_," T'seng said.

"_True…_" she nodded plainly frustrated, "_I still can't believe it. He reports to _Grace. _He always respected her authority before_."

"_So_?" Doe'shy wondered.

"_Then why? Why did he this one…_" she muttered some bad words that were in Gaelic and continued in Na'vi, "_…time did he go to _RDA_ instead of _Grace _or his fellow dream walkers. It doesn't make sense and now I can't get a private word with him to even feel him out as either an ally or an enemy_."

"_Calm down_," T'seng ordered, "_it is done and we have to continue_."

They all nodded. "_What are we doing today_?" Jasselle finally asked, after getting her emotions under control.

"_We ride_," he said.

To the Na'vi, she masked her fears and growing stress from them.

* * *

Outside her avatar, she had never been more alone in her life. Whenever she had gotten into trouble before there had always been Tom or Jake to call. They never failed to answer that call. Tom couldn't answer anymore and such a simple fact hurt more than she would let people know. Jake was answering but as she told the Na'vi, it was a long journey to Pandora. She needed more than just a soldier she could trust; she needed her brother.

When she was alone in her quarters, she studied and answered any messages she had. As time passed and Jasselle's fears grew, the letters from mother and allies that hide advice and knowledge only held so much comfort. As she promised herself, she used the Tarot to read her fortune once a moon cycle. The first time, the cards advised caution, which she had already taken to heart. When the hanged man appeared in the following month's reading, she had sighed in acceptance of its possibilities. The third month held the devil card, she cautiously watched out for such a person. Perhaps her caution was what kept her safe through the time.

In the nights, though not all of them, she slipped out of her quarters and wandered the base. With the techno pagan's programs, many of the security cameras began acting up all the time. In the storage room, someone had left the replacement lenses to those cameras and the ones for the mining equipment in a box that was perched barely on a shelf by the door. Unfortunately, when a worker came for those very lenses, they opened the door too hard and knocked the box off the shelf. The managers order the removal of several cameras to complete the ones needed for the transports and mining equipment. Those with the avatar project never heard about it. Another time someone mistook a container of highly dangerous acid for rust cleaner and several mechs were damaged and two soldiers wounded. The injuries became known, but a more acceptable excuse was presented to the scientists. Other incidents happened, but always they were covered up from those with the avatar project.

There were some rare nights in the dark of the moon; Jasselle would use her master key code to slip out of the base. With the filter mask secured to her face, and tools attached to her belt she weaved passed the few remaining cameras to the tree line. There behind the trees, Rameana would meet her alone. They wouldn't really speak. Rameana would crouch down and allow Jasselle to wrapped her arms around her shoulders and clung to her back. Then Rameana would carry her to her horse and they would ride toward the mining machine. Mostly, they would stop at the transports, but whatever machine they stopped at trouble followed RDA. Armed with the proper tools and knowledge, Jasselle would remove a part of the tough hides and go to work on the mechanics hidden within. She never did enough to make it look like more than an accident or bad luck. She rarely did the same thing twice. Rameana watched out for her, a tall, quiet guardian each of those nights in a jungle that Jasselle as an unarmed human would not survive alone.

* * *

Somehow days turned into weeks and then months passed. Jasselle didn't know how she kept up the pace at times. She knew Mr. Selfridge was very upset by the delays that she was supposed to know nothing about. Most of the incidents were chalked up to the strange planet, the limited supplies, and limited personnel. She knew the status quo would not remain this way, eventually someone would say sabotage and the hunt would be on to find proof and someone to blame.

As the days passed in the fourth month, Jasselle's fears grew and the messages from Earth didn't help much anymore. Some of the soldiers were starting to pressure her for more in a relationship than she intended to give to any of them and her lack of response made some of ruder ones ask rather uncomfortable questions. She had no intention to choose. She felt something building and when it broke she wasn't sure of she would be able to stand or be swept away by what came. This month, the cards had shown her the fool and the chariot. She didn't know what to make of it and hoped next month there would be no major arcane cards pulled. She continued each day, sticking to her routines the best she could, and kept busy. She did know that things would break when they would and not before.

One dam broke as the fourth was heading into the fifth month, and it nearly bowled her over. Jasselle was heading toward the clearing as usual for a school day. She knew the warriors would be waiting for her there. She barely heard the rustle of leaves above her. She jumped out of the way as a Na'vi landed where she had been. He was the one that had made Gi-chen miserable. He growled and his dagger was already drawn. Jasselle drew her human sword and dropped her staff for her steel rod. Calmly, she asked, "_What is the meaning of this_?"

"_It's your fault_," he hissed stalking toward her.

"_What is my fault_?" she asked looking him over. He was stronger and was a warrior. In a fight, she would have to fight dirty against him because who knew if the techniques she had learned on Earth were better than his skills. She would prefer to talk him down.

"_She was mine_," he stated.

"_Gi-chen belongs to Gi-chen_," Jasselle explained keeping her tone as calm as possible. Her blade and rod settled into guard position. "_Free will, everyone has it. The choices are ours alone to make_."

"_Stupid dream walker_," he said slicing his dagger toward her.

Jasselle wasn't fooled, knowing it was a bluff and stood her ground. "_Not that stupid_," Jasselle said and thought, 'I could be in serious trouble here.' Aloud she continued, "_There is someone for everyone, Gi-chen wasn't your one. Please understand the affections given by one are the privilege not the right of another_."

He snarled and actually attacked. Jasselle defended herself the best she could, trying to keep away from his dagger. He left no room for real technique. His dagger must have passed her guard at times for what she hoped were shallow cuts from the long stings she felt, but she saw she had marked him too. Jasselle was so focused on the fight she didn't really hear herself shout as he punched her. She swung her rod across his knee. He went down screaming, clutching the injury. Jasselle stumbled back holding the rod between them, wondering what would happen next. She noticed her top was hanging by one strap, and quickly lifted the cloth back up never taking her eyes off him. She felt where his dagger had cut her under the collarbone.

He glared at her as he struggled to stand. His face looked different and his nose was bleeding. She couldn't remember if she had hit him somehow there. Jasselle limped back, her ankle was throbbing and she didn't dare look to see why. Before he could find his footing, several Na'vi males surrounded them. T'seng wasn't there but Vitingon was. "_What happened_?" He asked, noting Jasselle's fresh injuries and the bruise developing on her face. He looked at the male and his injuries. The male was glaring as he held his nose and favoring his bruised knee.

"_We were having an aggressive discussion that got out of hand_," Jasselle explained keeping her eyes on that male. "_So how's Gi-chen_?"

Vitingon's eyes narrowed before he answered, "_She is my mate_."

Jasselle said as warmly as she could keeping her own fears under wraps, "_Congratulations. He's jealous_."

Everyone turned to the male as he said, "_I am not. You hit me in the nose_."

"_From how you're holding it, I might have broken it. Though I don't remember when. I'm sorry to a point_," she said as she thought, 'Keep it together, lady. You can have a break down in your quarters if necessary.'

"_You don't need to apologize for this_," Vitingon said easing her sword from her and holding it between them and the male.

She looked at Vitingon and let him see the concern in her eyes before speaking to the male again. "_If you ask _Grace, _she can probably make sure it heals straight_." Jasselle said. She carefully sheathed the rod and stumbled. Another Na'vi helped steady her. "_Thank you_." She finally looked and sighed, "_I think I twisted my ankle_."

"_You should return to your tent, but what will you tell everyone_?" he asked.

Jasselle thought it over and said, "_The truth, fights over relationships are not uncommon among _humans_. There are those among the base warriors who wonder if a male of your clan is… more than friend to me_." They laughed. "_Yes, funny, but the idea annoys them. You are all so much… taller than them_."

"_I will take you back. I wish to see some of the images again_," Vitingon said.

Another warrior stood before the male and said, "_And we are going to go to home tree to explain all this_."

Vitingon helped Jasselle back to the yard. "_You do know something of fighting,_" he said.

"_But still a poor bow woman_."

"_Yes_," Vitingon agreed, "_You are not a true warrior_."

"_No, I know that and accept I will probably never be able to face a warrior on their own ground ever_."

"_It is not where your heart is. You are more like our shaman and healer_."

"_Thank you, I think that's the best compliment I've received since coming here_."

"_I doubt that_," Vitingon said pushing the gate open. It only took a few seconds for the others to notice there was a problem.

"What happened to you?" Bio-girl called out. Everyone turned to them.

"Not again," a doctor shouted. "Ms. Scully, I swear you are the most incident prone person I have ever met."

"Would somebody help rather than stare like a baka?" she snapped. They helped her settle outside her tent. Bio-girl brought her clean clothes as the male avatars pulled Vitingon aside demanding an explanation, which Vitingon found amusing to be harassed by the scientists who obviously could not make good on their threats. Grace gave up teaching after a few minutes. The students wouldn't pay attention till their curiosity was satisfied.

"All right, what happened?" Grace asked.

"_You remember when Gi-chen spent the night here_." Grace nodded. "_Well, another male in her life wasn't happy when she and Vitingon here became mates. He wanted to blame someone_ *ow* easy…"

"Then stay still," the doctor ordered cleaning her cuts.

Jasselle sat up, remained still as she could, and continued, "_Anyway he choose to blame me and we had an aggressive discussion_."

Mary laughed, "You mean you fought him." Some of the avatars looked at her. "Oh, come on people, who hasn't heard of the term aggressive negotiations."

"Oh," said many of the avatars and humans.

Jasselle shrugged, "but it's so much more fun to say it that way instead."

Grace shook her head at her, "_I hope he doesn't continue to blame you. You could have been seriously hurt. And giving the circumstances I am ordering you confined to the base till this is clean up_," she said and turned to Vitingon, "_on both sides_."

"_What? That's not fair_," Jasselle snapped, "_It wasn't my fault and I didn't start it_."

"_But your words are too reckless for my taste. I'm sorry, Jasselle, but I am not comfortable with you going out there when a warrior, on top of everything else that could try to kill you, might be out to get you_."

Jasselle looked at Vitingon who was slightly frowning. She looked up to the sky and whispered, "Oh Gaya and Eywa. What a mess."

One of the children asked, "_Does this mean we can trade stories again_?"

"_Maybe_," Jasselle said politely enough and then muttered, "Since I can't do anything else."

Grace heard and frowned, "_How about when we break for lunch_?" The children cheered.

Jasselle shot her a dirty look, "_Sure, I have one prepared_."

Vitington left shortly to tell the clan of Grace's orders and Jasselle's status.

Jasselle waited for the doctors to finish patching her up. They complained about her seemingly habitually injuries the whole time. After they left her alone, she retreated to the privacy of her tent to change. Her top would need to be cleaned and repaired. The damage was at least a straight cut; it would be easy enough to sew. She figured it wouldn't hurt to get everything cleaned at once and totally changed. Wearing shorts and a tank top felt odd to her after so long.

'Eight months and change,' she thought, 'Jake's transport was nearing its first year of flight.' There was five years to go or figure out a solution without his help. Jasselle wasn't sure she could, she was no lawyer, no politician, no manager, and certainly no military leader. She had no authority that those in charge would respect. Mr. Selfridge clearly didn't respect Grace's authority when no one told them about the loss of Tom Scully. The Na'vi leaders seemed to trust her to a point, leaving her in the dark about their plans.

Alone in her tent, she wished for ritual candles or even a single stick of incense to smooth her troubled thoughts. She meditated the best she could, clearing her mind. The fight with the angry warrior prove one more thing she didn't like, her muscles even with yoga were getting tight with stress. If she didn't get her mind back under control soon, it would be only a matter of time before she rushed into a mistake and got caught. Any outcome after that would help no one but RDA. She tried to convince herself she could do this that there was no need to release her emotions today.

"Jasselle," a student called from outside the tent.

"_Yes, come in_," she answered shaking herself out of the meditative state.

A young woman pushed the flap aside and said, "_I see you… _I was sent to tell you we are starting lunch."

"So we are speaking as humans today? Right, the story you asked for," Jasselle stood and winced. The wrap around her ankle was not exactly helping all that much. The young woman took the time to look around the tent. "Oh, none of one has seen in here, have you?" She shook her head. "Well, with Grace's orders there will probably be more opportunities to visit my little domain."

The young woman laughed and held the flap open for her.

"What is your name?"

"Neytiri."

"Neytiri, you are older than most of the other students?"

"Yes," Neytiri said, she sounded not so thrilled to be reminded how most of the other students were so much younger than her. "My father, the chief, wished for me to learn this language."

"That makes sense and a good idea, all considered," Jasselle noted and saw the other students waiting for them. "About the story I want to tell, do your flyers eat small animals?"

"Yes, when they can catch them. Why?"

"It's part of the story, you will see."

They settled among the students before Jasselle started. "All right, this story is a version of my brothers' favorite tale as children and Eywa willing one will survive the extremely long trip here without difficulty. Again, I may need help with some of the words and ideas. So am I to tell this story in your language or mine?"

The children shouted for their own language, before Grace cleared her throat quieting most of them. "Jasselle, they are here to learn our language. And you have proven your excellent grasp of theirs."

"Meaning our language then. If you hear a word you don't know raise your hand and I'll stop to explain. So, let's get started, I need a name for a flyer."

Several children answered, the older students allowing them to have their fun. Jasselle picked the shortest one, "Greto, that will do. Now, what would you call what I am wearing?" She stretched out her leg with the leather wrap.

The children shrugged and one said uncertainly, "A leg wrap?"

Jasselle smiled, "I thought so, I just wanted to make certain. All right, this is the story of Greto in Leg Wraps. For Grace and friends, this is Puss in Boots." Jasselle relaxed as she told the story, even if some of the parts were unlikely on Pandora. The students seemed to enjoy it even when they asked her to define a word or phase. Sometime during the story, Rameana and Gi-chen entered the yard and they looked both worried and angry.

Once the story ended, the students were sent back to their lessons. "Grace, would you mind if I steal Neytiri away from the rest of the lessons?" Jasselle requested.

Grace looked at the startled woman. "She's still working on the words," Grace explained.

"I know. It will still be a lesson."

Grace shrugged, "Then it's fine with me."

Neytiri joined Jasselle as she slowly walked to the other women. She, like most human adults, wasn't terrible comfortable with being forced to take lessons with children. "I have many words yet to learn."

Jasselle shrugged, "As I told Grace, it will still be a lesson." She invited the three into her tent.

When the flap was closed, Gi-chen touched the bandage at Jasselle's collarbone and said, "_I'm so sorry_, Jasselle. _I had no idea Tyshimon would do anything like this_."

Rameana nodded pulling the ceiling cover along its modified curtain rods to let the sunlight in.

"_I'll be fine. And since Neytiri needs to practice the_ English _language, I'm going to pretend I don't know any of your language_." Neytiri jumped startled. Jasselle sighed and spoke slowly, "You will translate for all of us. It's a good way to learn. I'll help when you need it."

Neytiri nodded, "All right."

"Please, have a seat," Jasselle said. They settled quickly and Jasselle picked up the main orb light and tossed it on the old floor mat.

"Jasselle, _it could have been worse, much worse. And you are acting like this isn't something to worry about_," Rameana insisted.

"_She's right_," Gi-chen said, "_He is a warrior. You are not_."

Jasselle rubbed her ankle and answered, "So Vitingon pointed out and I knew that before coming to this world."

"_You shouldn't have picked a fight then_," Gi-chen complained. Jasselle's brows rose before Neytiri even translated.

After Neytiri spoke, Jasselle said, "Try again." Neytiri repeated her words and Jasselle shook her head, "You said, '_You should have picked a fruit then'. The word_ not _makes a statement negative. And the word fight is pronounced_ fight _in_ English."

"_Just answer us_," Gi-chen pleaded.

Speaking slowly, Jasselle said, "I did not start the fight. He sort of ambushed… surprise attacked… me." She paused at times to let Neytiri keep up. "It was before I even reached the clearing. We spoke. He was angry. He bluffed once. I told him a saying or two and he didn't like it. So he attacked and I defended. Thank… Eywa for allowing me to have such wonderful teachers."

Once Neytiri finished that translation, she asked, "You had teachers before? In what?"

"Just about everything you can imagine. Once I learned the written language…"

"Written?" she asked.

"How to explain that?" Jasselle racked her brains. "I know I have heard this described before." She pulled out her notebook and searched for a text file. "Words that stay, that's how it's been described. Here." She showed them a page from a history book on the notebook. "On Earth, people use the written word to find and study information on just about anything they are interested in." She shrugged, "but some things are better learned from another person directly."

Gi-chen shook her head realizing just how far off topic Jasselle had taken them. "_What about him_?" she asked.

"As much as I would rather not talk or even think about him for the time being, that obviously isn't going to happen," Jasselle sighed. "Well, all right, we know he can hold a grudge very well."

Rameana nodded, "_Vitingon said you can't leave the base again until this is cleared up. We have work to do_."

"_That digging tool is almost complete, you told us_."

"Yes," Jasselle agreed toying with her cross star. "I could do something drastic, but it would affect everyone on base. The danger of what I'm thinking could be too high a price to pay."

"Jasselle, I think you are… rambling. Is that the right word?" Neytiri asked.

"Yes, this fight proved I've let myself become close to being stress out," she admitted stretching her back.

"_You are working very hard for us. Perhaps, we should take a break_," Rameana suggested.

"_She can't leave here_," Gi-chen reminded her. "_And do we even have time_?"

"True, all of it. I am even having trouble with some men on base."

"_What kind of trouble_?" Rameana asked worried.

"It's a little hard to explain," Jasselle started. "I have been talking with many soldiers and taking meals with them to learn what I can about the mining. Some of them wish to… have a closer relationship with me."

"_Tell them you do not wish a mate_," Rameana said thinking the issue was that simple.

Jasselle started laughing, "Oh, if only that would work, Rameana. The problem is none of them wish to become my life-long mate either." They stared at her after Neytiri translated. "It's a strange thing in our society. Some of them have actually asked if there is a male in your clan that I… how did they put it… oh yes, wish to cuddle with."

The women looked at one another and then laughed. "_Cuddle, why would a man wish to cuddle_?" Gi-chen demanded.

Jasselle grinned, "Sorry, among human adults cuddle refers to how a man is allowed to hold a woman."

"_Oh my_," Rameana said, "_Your people are very strange_."

"Tell me about it. But that again is too far off the subject. The present problem is that baka is angry at us. The concern is that he could seek revenge."

"My mother will probably speak with him," Neytiri said.

"The shaman, correct? Mo'at," Jasselle asked. Neytiri nodded. "That may not be enough."

"_He must obey the will of the clan_." Rameana insisted. The others agreed.

Jasselle shrugged, "The Wicca in me says he may be obsessed with this. So focused on the situation it may be consuming him. It might be better to redirect him, if that is still possible."

"_Redirect_?" Rameana asked.

Jasselle nodded, "Change his focus to something or someone more suitable."

Gi-chen and Rameana listened to Neytiri's translation and said almost together, "_How_?"

Jasselle smiled a moment before answering, "The solution may sound easy, but I really doubt it will be."

"What do you mean?" Neytiri asked.

"He wants a mate who meets specific requirements, so we must find a female who fits most of those requirements and would be attracted to him."

"_But I wasn't_," Gi-chen insisted.

"We know and I'm sure Vitingon would agree you made the right choice," Jasselle winked. They smiled.

"_Where would we find such a woman_?" Rameana asked.

Jasselle lifted her hand and waved it, "out there, for all we know. And to complicate matters further how could we get them to meet without either of them suspecting it was arranged? This will take time and effort. Neither of which we have in good supply right now."

Gi-chen shook her head, "Jasselle, _where are we going to find a woman who can't take care of herself_?"

Jasselle sighed listening to Neytiri translate, and then her back straightened and she blinked a couple times. "Say that again," she asked

"What?" Neytiri asked. She started to repeat the translation carefully.

"_No, not you, Gi-chen, say that, what you said again_."

Gi-chen stared at Jasselle and repeated, "_Where are we going to find a woman who can't take care of herself_?"

"It can't be that simple, can it?" Jasselle thought out loud to the bewilderment of the other women. "Oh… I would be in so much trouble if I tried and it didn't work."

"_What_?" Rameana snapped.

Jasselle shook herself and leaned toward them. She said in a soft voice, "_The other dream walkers don't know the first thing about taking care of themselves out there_."

"_I don't think he likes dream walkers at all_," Gi-chen warned. "_After what you did to him_."

Jasselle frowned and thought it over, "Good point, we need to think this through and be very sneaky… Do you realize how funny this would be if we could? Oh, I need to stop thinking about this." The Na'vi laughed at the thought.

"_Perhaps, till this is solved, you should take the time and rest_," Gi-chen told her.

Jasselle sighed, "I'm not sure how to at the base anymore. There are still eyes and the soldiers. It's just: RDA, the digging, their people, and your people. I don't want to let you down."

Rameana clasped her shoulder and said, "_You won't ever_."

"_You do too much alone_," Gi-chen added.

"I'm sorry," Jasselle said rubbing her eyes, "I'm complaining and that is hardly how… how anything should be." Her mind was going at full speed, and she tried to lock it back down as she had been for months.

"_Are you all right_?" Neytiri asked.

"_I don't know how I thought I could stop this, even for a second by myself_," she whispered, the words just came out and Jasselle couldn't believe her own loss of control. She thought the day hadn't been that bad at least she assumed it hadn't, but the words simply tumbled out of her. "_I should have been dead months ago without everyone's help_."

"_Rest_," Ramean said slightly alarmed, "_This is the injuries talking not you. Go to your small form and rest there as well_." She grasped Jasselle's shoulders to make sure she was listening.

Jasselle sat stunned; worried she could be having an emotional breakdown on some level. Gi-chen and Neytiri immediately sided with Rameana. Jasselle made herself take a deep breath and internally admit they were probably right. They took care of her, helping put away her weapons and harness. Gi-chen set up the hammock. "_Go_," she coaxed her, "_Let all things rest for a time_."

As Jasselle eased her avatar's body to rest, she heard Rameana tell Neytiri, "_Please watch out for her during the school time. We must speak to the clan about this_."

"_She wears a mask to all. She needs one who understands the weight_," Neytiri said.


	9. Coping with

The three women continued to fuss as Jasselle let the conversation go. They were sweet to worry about her, but she felt as though this weight was one she could bear. She opened her eyes to the soft green light of the pod. She pushed up the lid and rolled out.

"Hey," SG said, "You ok?" Jasselle nodded. "You realize there are still Na'vi in your tent?"

"They know how to lock up, SG. If you haven't heard, I had a real bad scare today. I just want to rest and get over it."

SG nodded, and watched the remaining yard camera. Those three Na'vi were leaving the tent, locking it, and heading for the jungle. He turned back and watched as Jasselle exited the room. SG frowned and wondered why Jasselle was so down.

* * *

Jasselle slid her mask back in place; it wouldn't help her to let everyone know something was too different. She calmly went to her quarters, kicked off her shoes, and curled up on her bed half wishing it was a hammock. She clutched the pillow, though she really wanted to hold someone but she didn't really want any of the soldiers the wrong idea.

In her mind, alone never sucked this badly before and she reminded herself she wasn't actually alone. Just alone among humans, not the best follow-up thought. She wasn't a soldier or technical expert, so she probably was doing really well, maybe. She groaned and told herself to stop whining before she turned into an actual crybaby.

She dozed for a time until her door opened without warning. She clutched her only weapon in the room – a small stunner hidden under her pillow. She lifted herself up enough to see who it was. To her dismay, it was Lt. Simmons, one of her admirers. From his expression, Jasselle had to wonder if he was hoping to get lucky. Jasselle dropped back to the bed and buried her face in the pillow a moment, before asking, "How did you get in? And why?"

He stepped in, missing her not so subtle hint apparently. "The word around base is that you had a rough day." He lifted what looked like a wine bottle, "Thought you could use some cheering up."

"I rarely drink and I thought this base was dry," she stated sitting up, accepting he wasn't going to take the hint and leave.

He smiled and made his way through her 'office' mess, explaining, "It's not wine, though I hear Mr. Selfridge has a stash somewhere."

"That would be another reason his name should be pronounce selfish," she said running her hand through the short brown hair. It was taking forever for it to grow out, though it was easier to manage.

The Lt. laughed, "Good one."

"So, what is it? And how did you get my door opened?"

He sat on the edge of her bed, which not only annoyed her it worried her. "It's something between fine wine and motor oil." He poured two glasses of the inky, black liquid.

"That sounds… pleasant," Jasselle said sarcastically as well as slowly looking it over. "My door?"

"I swiped a maintenance code. You mind?" he took a drink and winced at the strength.

"A tad, some of the stuff in the office is irreplaceable," she explained trying the drink. She started coughing immediately as the liquid burned. "Oh light *cough*… that… is worst… than those bars."

He laughed easily, "It gets better."

Jasselle rubbed her eyes, "Let me guess, first drink is to burn off all your taste buds." She tried another sip anyway. "Must be true, but I never thought anything could be as bad as those instant meal bars."

Lt smirked, "The bars are made to last. At least that's what we were told."

She looked at the picture on the nearby shelf and said, "I wonder what Jake would say about that?"

The Lt looked where she was looking. "Is that your family?" he asked hoping it was true. The same man was in most of the pictures along with another man possible a twin.

Jasselle nodded and pointed them out, "That's my mother and my twin brothers: Jake and Tom." She wasn't surprised to see the Lt relax. "Jake was a marine but lost the use of his legs. Tom was a scientist, he was supposed to come here as part of the avatar program. He was killed in a mugging nearly a year ago. So Jake was talked into taking his place… Still can't stand how they asked him."

"I'm sorry," Lt said and then noticed another picture in the corner of the shelf. It was of Jasselle with some nerdy-looking man; and along the top of the frame was draped neck chain with a diamond ring hanging from it. "Who's that?" he asked trying not to sound annoyed.

Jasselle thought it over; she didn't know why she set out that picture again, "That was Eddy. We were to work here together. We had dated some, mostly picking each other's brains than an actual relationship, now that I can look back at it. Both our families wanted to see their children married before taking such a long trip to such a dangerous place." She shook her head at the memories. "I guess his family pressured him to ask me, and I figured I could at least live with that man contently. So pathetic of me, really." She stopped and drank a little. The Lt just stared. "At the ceremony his family went all out, only to watch him be gunned down at the altar waiting for me to begin my walk down the aisle. My ex-boyfriend couldn't stand the thought of me marrying anyone else or even go on this assignment. That… baka had knocked Jake to the ground and held his gun against his head. He ordered me to marry him right then, right there or else I'd lose Jake. Seeing Eddy on the ground, bleeding wasn't as painful as I thought it was supposed to be, it took me a while to realize it was because I didn't love him. But the thought of losing Jake and the possibility of that man opening fire throughout a church pack with strangers and those I really did love made me nearly sick. I thought I was a little crazy to be in some strange form of calm. Everything was so clear and in my mind I was able to think it all through. Is that how it is for soldiers during a battle?"

She paused and looked at the Lt, but the man couldn't think of anything to say, so Jasselle continued, "The skirt of my dress was so big, that he couldn't see I had armed myself. I waited through his ceremony for him to get his gun off Jake's head… so oddly patience, so strange. The moment came when the priest asked for the rings, that poor old man. He never did perform another ceremony again; at least that's what I heard. That man moved to get Jake to give him the rings and I remember saying to him 'You will respect my choices.'" She closed her eyes seeing all too clearly the man's anger and the smell of Eddy's blood mixing with the scent of the lilies in her bride's maids' bouquets. "I lifted a silver serving tray, it was in the lobby area of the church, where I was before the shots. I just slammed it across his face with all my strength. Now, the man was a body builder of some bulk. I was, some place inside, certain he would shake it off and go crazy and I think that part of me was terrified. But he spun, I mean actually spun, like you see in some movies with this really stupid expression on his face. Had the situation not been so serious I probably would have laugh till I cried at the comedy of those few seconds. Then he fell on his nose and Jake grabbed the gun away. The groomsmen jumped on the guy and tied him up."

"So everything was ok?" he asked and paused before back tracking. "Except, of course, your fiancé."

Jasselle shrugged, "He was obviously dead, so I tried to see if anyone else was hurt. But the moment, we were safe and I wasn't going to go near Eddy's body, his mother exploded. She was so furious at me, calling me a heartless tease among other things."

"Why?"

Jasselle looked into his eyes, "Her son was dead, Lt, and her future daughter-in-law wasn't crying over his body as was both proper behavior in that woman's eyes and expected by society. Some of his family actually thought I had planned that terrible…ordeal with my ex." Jasselle sighed rubbing her eyes. "Afterward, his family wouldn't take the ring back because it had been on my filthy finger, their words. So, I keep it and the picture out to remind myself of what I got for not being picky, for being willing to settle for someone I knew I could live with but never truly care about."

The Lt frowned, "So that's why you're keeping us at arm's length?"

"Maybe, I guess on some level Eddy's mother was right." Jasselle handed her glass back to him. "I'm sorry, Lt, more than you know. I made a mistake once and two lives were destroyed because of it. The other half of it, with Tom's death, I'm missing my family all the more. Jake being a marine, and marines talk in the same language, that same terminology." She hung her head stroking her temples a moment. "I'm a mess right now and the managers aren't helping. Can you honestly blame me for wanting to have a piece of home, of family?"

Lt looked into her eyes a bit and said, "Nope." The blunt answer surprised her plainly. He reluctantly pulled out his wallet, explaining, "I think, I've been a little homesick too." He flipped to a picture and handed it to her. There was a slightly younger Lt with a woman behind him. Her arms wrapped around his neck. Both people looked so happy. "Lisa was my wife. She died with our baby boy while I was still traveling here."

"I'm so very sorry."

"This job was going to set them up for life, you know." He looked at her. Jasselle could tell there was guilt in his words. He was probably wondering if he had stayed on Earth, working at some low-paying job, would he have been there to keep his family alive.

"You obviously have some really great memories though. I don't have anything to compete with that," she said handed him back the wallet.

Lt blinked and then smiled, "Yeah, we were happy, even when we had a fight or two."

Jasselle nodded, "And no one can take those memories from you or make them mean less."

"Thanks," he said, "I heard you had a way with words."

"It's not always easy to talk to strangers."

He studied her face and said, "Now that I think about it, you kind of have the same look about you as she did."

"But I'm not her, and it would do neither of us any favors to pretend such things. Not in the short run and definitely not the long run. I'm sorry."

"I know your wedding story killed my mood."

"I haven't been in such a mood since that day," she said and wanted to end the conversation. "Thanks for talking with me and the drink. It wasn't terrible, but not that good either."

He nodded, "You need to get some more sleep." A knock at the door made the Lt jump to his feet.

"Yes, who is it?" Jasselle said. 'Please not another guest.'

"Missy and Trudy. We thought you could use some good girl vibes," Missy called.

"Without all the science," another woman said.

'That might be nice,' she thought. Jasselle glanced at the Lt, who looked very startled. "Did you bring chocolate?" she asked opening door unconcerned.

Missy held up a chocolate bar, "We're girls…" then noticed her company.

"Oh, what's this?" Trudy said eyeing the Lt and the wine bottle.

Jasselle smiled at the Lt and pointed to the door, "Sorry, chocolate wins."

He shrugged and gathered the bottle and the glasses. "Dinner later?" he asked.

"I think I'll just nap instead. Maybe tomorrow," she said.

As he passed the door, Trudy asked, "Is that motor mouth?" She pointed to the bottle.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Save some of that and we'll have dinner tonight," she told him.

The Lt glanced at Jasselle, who grinned and shrugged. "Ok, 7?"

"Sure," she said. Trudy shut the door and looked over everything. Her assessment was, "Cute guy, big mess, and you look like hell all things considered."

"Well, hello to you to," Jasselle said, "Geez, you're bright and sassy."

Trudy strolled over and bounced on the bed. "I like that description."

Missy broke up the chocolate and said, "So, heard you…"

"… had a rough day," Jasselle finished annoyed. "Does everyone know?"

Trudy nodded smiling, "Blame the doctors. They have been just rattling on about you."

Jasselle leaned her head back against the wall, "Why me?"

Missy suggested, "Guess this planet has a special place in its heart just for you."

"Chocolate, please, now."

Jasselle had to admit talking to women, normal women about nothing important, was a relief. They didn't know about all problems and they didn't have an agenda as far as Jasselle could sense. It was good to just let go a little and just be a woman. Maybe, she could blame the alcohol later for her loose tongue and bad language.

After the two pilots left, Jasselle reviewed some documents, including her will. When she submitted it, she figured anyone who saw it would connect it to the scare she had today.

* * *

The following day was pouring rain and no human or avatar wandered from the interior of the base, except for Jasselle. She decided to hide out in her avatar, even though it was unusual even for her. There were no classes held on raining days because all classes were outside. Jasselle thought that had been an odd oversight on Grace's part until SG told her about what happened to the shelter that had been there before she arrived. It had become a popular sleeping spot for predators. The current security chief had ordered it torn down after certain incident no one wanted to bring up.

Jasselle stepped outside the tent and reviewed her surroundings. The sky was covered with thick gray clouds. The rain fell everywhere in a strange chorus upon the ground, plants, and human structures. It smelled mostly wet and natural. The jungle's fragrance was dampened and so were the smells she associated with the RDA side of the base and the military equipment. No one was out there; no one was working beyond the walls of the yard. No animals were in sight. She was completely alone. She stood in the open, in that warm rainfall; letting it fall where it would. She leaned her head back closing her eyes, allowing the drops to wash over her. She let her mind drift and empty. Letting the rain wash away her fears and promises, her lacking abilities and the lies, all the negative thoughts and emotions within her that had been threatening to choke her.

In the rain, Jasselle let herself remember happier times. When she and her brothers had been young and played out in such weather to their mother's amused dismay. When Jake, grown and strong, had shown her some tough lessons from his marine training. There were more memories that she shared with fellow Wicca, in training and practice. She could tell how very simple her life had been. Nothing before Pandora had caused her to go beyond the basics. She was a researcher of Anthropology. She was a practicing Wicca. She was a cross star that had acted against some minor bullies. On Earth she had just been existing, now on Pandora she was living. Existing had been more comfortable, but living filled her with more of what she had craved all her life, but never realized it.

She took a deep breath and smelled something beyond the rain, the plants, and the base. She looked around carefully. The rain probably didn't detour predators when they were hungry. The yard was still empty. Jasselle drew her rod, just in case, settled the point on the ground, and held it loosely. She leaned her head back again and mentally drifted until she heard footsteps on the concrete. It was one of the doctors. He didn't look happy and was carrying something wrapped in plastic.

Jasselle knelt to be polite before asking, "Why are you out here?"

"To tell you to get inside now," he ordered. He shoved his burden at her. "Here, we won't be having you get sick on top of everything else you do to yourself."

"It's not like I'm getting hurt on purpose," she countered. "You think I enjoy getting hurt. It's dangerous out there. Ask the marines."

"They're marines, it's their job. You're a scientist, start acting like one." The doctor walked away pointing to her tent. "And don't make me come out here again."

Jasselle sighed and headed to her tent. The doctors probably had a point. Her avatar was in reality less than a year old. This probably meant her immune system was as strong as a Na'vi infant. Before she reached the tent, she noticed movement at the yard's gate. Two Na'vi entered and to her surprise it was the Omaticaya's healer and shaman, Mo'at. Jasselle stared trying to decide what to do. The women didn't pause; they walked toward her as though they had every right to be there, which was technically true. Jasselle choose to meet them.

"_I see you, Mo'at, healer_," she greeted.

"_And we see you,_ Jasselle," the healer replied.

Mo'at stepped forward and stroked a thumb under Jasselle's eye. "_My daughter was right. Too much, hiding tears with rain_."

Jasselle looked away a moment, knowing it was true, and insisted, "_I'll be fine_."

"_Liar_," Mo'at said and lead the way back to the tent, "_You may be able to hide yourself from everyone, but not a shaman or a healer_."

"_We know child_," the healer said taking her arm. "_You are like us_."

They entered the tent and the Na'vi looked about for Jasselle's light source and were quiet when she tapped the main orb light on. "_Is that supposed to be your hearth_?"

Jasselle invited them to sit and nodded, "_No open flames allowed anywhere on base_."

"_So does it burn_?" the healer asked.

"_No, it produces no heat_," she explained unwrapping the doctor's bundle. Inside the plastic were large towels. Obviously, someone feared she could catch a cold. She handed them out to be polite and began toweling off. She wasn't sure she wanted to have a conversation with them now or even what the conversation would be about.

The healer carefully picked up the orb light. The bottom part reminded Jasselle of a pet food bowl. The light container itself was more of a dome shape than an actual orb. "_Odd little… _machine… _I suppose_." She set it back down and looked Jasselle over. "_You should have rested more_."

"_I had visitors who wished to cheer me up_."

Mo'at glared, "_Rameana mentioned the lack of privacy among humans_."

Jasselle nodded but still defended them, "_Most meant well_."

"_You are worn, _Jasselle. _Even you must see this_," the healer said. "_You are not a warrior, yet our warriors have treated you as such_."

"_There is no where to assign blame. I never_," Jasselle started to explain, "_… I never thought about the size of this task. Before I handled some things, but there were small and simple. This, this is so much more than I ever thought… I'm not even sure how to describe it_."

"_You seem to be doing well enough_."

"_It was a relief that your clan agreed to let me work with you on this task and I have needed and appreciated that support on so many levels_."

"_But…_" Mo'at prompted.

Jasselle breathed deeply, "_You're out there_," indicating the jungle. "_Enemies, strangers, and others in there_," pointing to the curtain wall closest to the base. "_No allies, no one that is on our side and knows. I never realized just how much I depended on my brothers before. How much I didn't know and simply turned to one of them to make up for what I lacked_."

Mo'at shook her head, "_Perhaps, it is time for you to visit home tree again. And as a proper guest this time_."

"_Really_?" Jasselle asked and her mind started working at warp speed when their eyes told her they were serious. Then reality halted her thoughts. "Grace _won't allow it, till she knows that male… Tyshimon won't try to harm me again_."

Mo'at sighed, "_Yes, I spoke with him, but fear what you told my daughter is true. This failure, he sees it, is unacceptable and will not let it go so easily_."

Jasselle frowned, "_I told him, there is someone for everyone. If only he would meet her, things would probably work themselves out_."

Curious, the healer asked, "_Her? Who is this her_?"

Jasselle sighed a little, "_There isn't really a her. I'm no match maker as _humans _call them, but I might be willing to… indirectly introduction him to _Mary _or perhaps_ Betsy."

"_Dream walkers_?" Mo'at said definitely surprised.

"_After his reaction to you, that could be dangerous_," the healer warned.

"_True, which is why I said might be willing… Unfortunately my mind sees his method and past with Gi-chen and asks if it could be arranged. My reasoning is that neither woman is a warrior or hunter. He appears to desire a woman he could take care of and protect unlike women of your clan_."

They thought it over. Mo'at spoke first, "_Perhaps, but how to arrange such a meeting_?"

"_What do these women do_?"

"Mary _is here to study the animals of this world. _Betsy _is to do the same but with the plants_."

"_We will think on this_," Mo'at said. "_You will rest and recover for a time_."

"_But the digging_?"

The healer laughed, "_It appears that this morning a great stampede of hammerhead titanotheres happened. Several of the large… moving tools were in their way_."

Jasselle stared with wide eyes, she waved a hand between them and said, "_I won't ask how it happened. But what are hammerhead titanotheres_?"

The Na'vi women stayed and they spoke for hours it seemed about their clan and the Wicca. They focused on the differences and the similarities between them. With them, Jasselle's homesickness faded till only the desire for her brother remained.


	10. Jungle Outing

Days passed slowly and with Jasselle's confinement to the yard, Grace allowed her to pass the time by taking the older students aside for more private lessons. They seemed happier to be among their own peers rather than mixed with the younger children. The lessons were two-fold: they taught her some basic Na'vi skills, but they had to teach her in the English language, or Jasselle would find a basic skill in her notebook that she hadn't seen among the Na'vi and show them. The group knew of the hidden ear and said nothing of the mining.

After not only Jasselle, but also the Na'vi admitted she would not master the bow, Jasselle hunted through her history texts determined to find a ranged weapon she could use. She learned about throwing knives, and wasn't too bad just out of practice she hoped. Finally, she found a possibility and worked on it in her limited free time. Some of the maintenance workers thought her design was a bit odd, but were happy to make it for her. Jasselle had been so pleased with their help; she appeared to forget her shyness and rewarded them with a quick hug and kiss, which pleased them even more, while it annoyed the few soldiers that happened to be near by at the time.

Midway through the week, she demonstrated the weapon to the Na'vi by hitting the target area for the first time. "What is that?" Neytiri asked staring at the hollow shaft with a small cup-like indention at the end.

Jasselle smiled, relieved by the success holding a quiver of arrows in one hand and the weapon in the other. "This is a atlatl. It is an ancient weapon that pre-dates the use of bows and arrows among humans. It was designed to throw darts originally, but I found this design for arrows."

"But you're a terrible shot," a male said.

"Thanks a lot, for the reminder. No really, I learned to throw small blades from the same people who taught me what I know of fighting," she explained. "So I just looked for a weapon that seemed to be… some place between the two."

"It doesn't seem all that accurate," Neytiri said.

"I just need to practice, I think. The information said it was affective and accurate. It's something at least. I won't be so helpless now."

The Na'vi chuckled as one said, "You have never seemed helpless before, odd-looking perhaps, stubborn certainly, and…"

"Very funny, stop the insults before I make you regret it."

"What could you do that a warrior could not avoid?" he asked turning away confidently.

Jasselle glanced at the ground and dropped her quiver. She quickly scoped up a handful of mud and called his name. As he turned around, he got a face full of it. "I can't shoot an arrow to save my life, but I can certainly throw," Jasselle said wickedly bending down to touch the mud again. "Anyone else need a demonstration?"

* * *

Within the base Jasselle spoke with Mary and Bio-girl about the jungle walks she used to make. Both longed to go with her, but as she suspected neither of them knew the first thing about protecting themselves and were too afraid of the danger to risk it. Mary had worked in zoos, in relative safety. On the other hand, Bio-girl had never worked outside a lab or green house. It didn't take long for Jasselle to decide that Mary would be the better of the two to introduce to Tyshimon. From that decision, she began to think of a plan.

She rarely saw Selfridge anymore, but when she did he looked like he would sprout gray hairs any day. From the company workers to the soldiers, everyone involved with the mining was feeling the pressure. David continued to keep quiet, which only meant to Jasselle that the mining preparations were continuing.

* * *

One evening, when she was secure in her quarters she scrolled through the programs the techno pagan had originally sent her. The last program held a severe warning and had an odd picture of a wooden horse head as its icon. She didn't know what type of program it was, but what it did was spelled out clearly enough. It was designed to completely erase file after file as though servers were crashing. Once implemented, a random time would be selected that was at least 24 hours later but no more than six days later. This was to protect Jasselle from being prepared. Once activated, there was no real knowing of what would be lost or just what files would be attacked.

Jasselle had an active enough imagination to think about what could happen besides the mining equipment being affected. If the ventilation went down somewhere on base, people wouldn't be able to breath. If the doors closed or opened at the wrong times, people could be trapped or crushed. If anything lost its codes that kept people safe, too many things could happen. People could and probably would die anywhere on base including her and there was no way she could stop it. The program could run for up to one hour at most before erasing itself. Or if someone on base was smart enough to set on finding it, the program would detect the search and erase itself and all traces. The main warning on the program stated: BE COMPLETELY CERTAIN BEFORE USING THIS PROGRAM. IF USED, USE ONLY ONE TIME.

Jasselle closed the file and clutched her cross star. Into the empty room she whispered, "I'm not that desperate, not yet."

* * *

More than a week later, Jasselle finally couldn't take being cooped up on base any longer. After discussing with Neytiri about a plan to force Tyshimon to met Mary, she executed her own covert attack on the scientists at dinner. "Grace, I was thinking…"

"No," she answered not even looking up.

"Can't you wait until I explain my thought before shooting me down?" she demanded with a smile.

Grace stared at her a moment, "All right, what are you thinking?"

"I'm always thinking. But this is about those samples you and Mary want." The scientists gave her their full attention. "I know you have been wanting to go with me and the Na'vi for a while and I have been talking to them about it. So, we have come up with a sort of outing for you both."

"Jasselle, are you saying I can get my samples?" asked Grace forgetting about the meal.

"It wouldn't be until the sort of weekend we give the students, but Neytiri and Rameana have agreed to prepare a small group of guides for the three of us if we want to take them up on it."

"If we want," Mary said loudly. Jasselle groaned as several people turned and stared. Mary ducked her head quickly, "That was a little loud."

"You think."

"Jasselle, are you certain they are willing to do this?" Grace demanded.

"Yes, I spoke with Neytiri and the others myself."

"What about the male who attacked you?" she asked.

Jasselle nodded, "Mo'at wants me to met him again in her presents to see if he has truly come to terms with what happened." Grace didn't look convinced. "Grace, I would probably have to go to home tree to meet them."

"Home tree?" Grace repeated and thought it over. "How soon?" Jasselle sighed relieved before explaining what she knew.

* * *

Days later

Missy flew toward the Osha Cliffs and said, "So, how's it feel to be liberated?"

"Like flying," Jasselle laughed over the com, enjoying the wind in her face as she hung on to the craft.

"Are you sure they'll met us?" Grace asked again from the other side.

"If they do, they do. If not, you can still get some fresh samples."

Behind her Mary called, "How did I let you talk me into this?" Everyone laughed at her.

"Come on, Mary. Where's your sense of adventure?"

Mary looked down and clutched the bar of the craft before yelling, "I think I left it on Earth."

When the craft touched down on a clearing in front of the cliff, the avatars stepped away avoiding the side routers. Jasselle stared out over the land beyond the cliff. She could see home tree in the distance and the treetops were so numerous below it seemed like a sea of green. "Jasselle? Jasselle?" Grace called.

"Rameana was right. This is an amazing view," Jasselle said.

Mary walked up beside her, "Is that really home tree?"

"Uh-huh," she answered, "Pictures and stats don't compare to actually seeing it."

"It's huge and their entire clan lives there," Grace confirmed and joined them to admire the view for a moment. Then she asked turning to the jungle, "So where are they?"

"Let me check beyond the tree line," Jasselle told them. She strolled in cautiously and she was just out of sight of the craft when Tyshimon stepped into her path. He scowled at her, but she thought there were others just out of sight. Jasselle took a deep breath, she had prepared her words for the time she meet him again. "_You don't have to like me or anyone else, but we need to all work together_." He looked away from her toward the clearing. "_I'll promise to stay out of your way, if you promise to stay out of mine_." He glanced at her and nodded. Five other Na'vi came into view including Rameana, T'seng, and Neytiri. To all of them, she warned, "_They don't know and their ears will be on_."

They followed her to the clearing; the Na'vi quickly greeted the avatars and were greeted by them properly. Then the Na'vi broke them up into groups. Neytiri and T'seng offered to be Grace's escort into the jungle so she could collect her samples. This pleased her to no end as she collected her research kit. T'seng reintroduce Tyshimon to Mary explaining, "_This is Tyshimon. _Jasselle_ told us of your troubles with learning about our world's animals. He is a good warrior and hunter of our clan. Tyshimon will be able to help with your studies_." Several could tell Tyshimon was not happy with this duty, a little like babysitting Jasselle figured. T'seng gave Tyshimon a meaningful glare but said nothing more.

"Mary?"

"Yes?" she said checking her kit one last time.

"Your camera is on mute right? _Because not being quiet when you're told, can get you very dead out here, understand_?" Jasselle warned.

Startled, Mary pulled out the camera and checked. "_I thought I did, but it never hurts to double check_," she said. Tyshimon rolled his eyes.

"_No, it doesn't_," she said catching Tyshimon's eyes and spared him a pleading look. He frowned. She continued to give Mary pointers, "_Make sure you listen to him. Remember, he lives out here_." Mary nodded as Tyshimon looked a little confused by the compliment.

"_Lake creature_?" Rameana said.

"_I never want to see one of those things again. We have taken to calling it _little Kranken, _after a creature of legend that also live in water with a lot of tentacles_," Jasselle shuddered. "_That was then this is now, so I guess, I'm coming with you, right_?" Rameana nodded with a secretive smile. "_Very well, where to_?"

"_Home tree_," she said.

"_Home tree? Really_?" Jasselle repeated.

Rameana nodded, "_Come, it is time you saw my home. And I would like to hear this legend_."

"See you later, Missy," Jasselle called over the com. The pilot saluted through the glass. "Don't let these boys push you around while we're gone."

"No one pushes me around…" Missy snapped and then stated, "Unless I want them too." Jasselle and the other soldiers laughed.

The groups split up into the jungle. Jasselle watched as Mary followed Tyshimon, hoping for some sign the young woman would be taken care of. Behind them, the other two Na'vi warriors climbed into the trees and followed them. Rameana noticed Jasselle's gaze and nodded to confirm her hope. The extra warriors were there specifically to watch out for Mary in case Tyshimon didn't do his duty.

Soon, Jasselle mounted one of the dire horses and followed Rameana through jungle. The ride seemed longer as Rameana rode at a slower pace. She paused several times to point out landmarks to Jasselle. Jasselle was very attentive and knew Rameana was trying to make her happy and calm. Her Na'vi friend seemed determined to make Jasselle forget the trouble and simply enjoy the world around her as she had before any of them knew about the mining. She tried and she did enjoy the ride, but the edge remained like an itch neither could scratch.

* * *

At home tree, she met the heads of the clan again. Chief Eytucan tried to speak to her about the mining, but his wife had other plans. "_Not today_," she declared, "_Today, our violet-eyed student shall learn and then rest_."

"_Violet-eyed_?" she whispered to Rameana.

Rameana nodded, "_Those that do not know your name call you violet-eyed. Do you not like it_?"

"_Actually, it's kind of nice, I just didn't know_," Jasselle smiled, some of her Wicca teachers had called her that.

"_Then come_," Mo'at said taking her arm, "_There is much you can know_."

Jasselle followed and looked at Rameana, but Rameana wasn't invited and did not follow. Mo'at walked under the root columns of home tree. 'You could land a couple aircraft under here,' Jasselle thought. They rounded a strange display with a large skull mounted on top. From the teeth, Jasselle doubted she wanted to meet the living version of that creature.

"_Here_," Mo'at said, "_Leave your weapons and things here. You have no need for them while in the safety of our home_." She indicated an area at the base of a ramp. Jasselle saw no reason to doubt Mo'at words and quickly settled her staff and removed the weapons' harness entirely. Mo'at headed up into the branches. There they met the healer and her student, both welcomed Jasselle warmly. Jasselle could have shouted with joy when she realized they intended to treat her as their student. First, she learned from the healer and sorely wished for something to take notes with, but from watching her fellow student the lessons were to be memorized. Then Mo'at took her with Neytiri and taught them of Eywa and the skills of a shaman. These lessons were not too unlike her Wicca lessons, which made her concentrate on keeping the two separate. It wouldn't do to mix them up. Her logs were still clean of all Wicca references.

It was evening before it occurred to her that she might want to check in. She mentally prayed she wasn't in trouble again. It was harder to climb down than up, and she lost her footing several times. At the base of home tree, T'seng was there, which probably meant Grace was either waiting with the craft for her to move her tail or at base. "_I am going to guess I am in so much trouble… again_," Jasselle said softly. She had left her com on her harness without a second thought. The thought of getting confined to base yet again was the last thing she wanted.

Rameana shook her head and smiled, "Grace, _knows you are to stay_."

"_Stay_?" Jasselle repeated, "_Here_?" She laughed at how she sounded, "_I must sound like a _baka _right now_."

They laughed with her. Rameana told her, "_Not so much_." She handed Jasselle her sword and sheathe. "_We carry no other weapons in home tree for peace_."

She clipped it to her belt, "_Good to know. So what next_?"

"_A meal, conversation, and rest_," Gi-chen said joining them. "_I see you, _Jasselle."

"_I see you, Gi-chen_," she greeted. "_Home tree is amazing, but I'm guessing there's more_."

"_Of course, more to see_."

Jasselle nodded, "_More to learn. And it only took me about… half a year to finally see this much. _Wow."

Gi-chen blinked, "_A half year, has it really been so long_?"

"_I would have wondered why it was so little time_," Rameana added surprised as well. "_It seems we have known each other longer_."

Sometime after the meal, Jasselle got separated from those she knew. Perhaps, the excitement and safety of the day had made her forget her caution. A Na'vi male whose hair was styled much like the chief's managed to grip her arm and whispered, "_I must speak with you_." He half dragged her to one of the root columns. She stopped digging her feet into the dirt, not willing to leave the safety of home tree she was promised. "_Just around the column_," he ordered.

Jasselle wondered if this was Tyshimon's friend, she could be in a lot of trouble. Someone pushed her from behind. She nearly shouted for help, and the male must have noticed as he quickly whispered, "_Are they still trying_?"

"_Who try what_?" she asked softly willing for the moment to listen.

"_The digging_," a male behind her said.

"_Yes…_" Jasselle answered.

The male that held her arm pulled her around the root. "_Why_?" he hissed.

Jasselle winced standing awkwardly. "_You're hurting me_," she said.

He looked at her arm and saw he had unintentionally twisted it. He let go and apologized.

Jasselle rubbed her arm and asked, "_Has something happened that I don't know of_?"

"_The moving tools are not working, but the digging tool is turning_."

"_When did this happen_?" she whispered her eyes wide with alarm.

"_Two days ago. Did no one tell you_?"

Jasselle shook her head, "_Does it sound like I knew? I have been trapped on the base for several days and the dream walkers are told nothing. The heads have done much to keep_ Grace _and the others unaware. I thought we had more time_."

"_So we are out of time_?" he asked.

"_Then there is a plan, right_?" she asked hopefully.

"_But you…_"

"…_are no warrior_," she interrupted a little tired of the argument. "_I wish I was, I have always depended on my brother for such things_."

The male spoke in terms she didn't know, but was fairly certain he was probably swearing.

"_I need to get us some more time, then_?" she asked hoping he would say no.

"_Can you_?"

Jasselle winced and explained, "_There might be a way, but I was warned it would be very dangerous. There will be no promises of where the damage would occur. On the base people could die, but who_?" She shrugged and toyed with the cross star. "_There is no control over it and no way for me to stop it, once it is released_."

"_I will tell the chief. If he asks, will you do this_?"

Jasselle took a deep breath and nodded, "_Yes_."

"_Then go and rest as you were told_."

"_Who are you_?" she asked.

"_Tsu'tey_."

She returned to the fire and forced his conversation out of her mind. Rameana had noticed her absence and Jasselle explained it away with enough truth about talking to another Na'vi but nothing about the topic. The decision was no longer hers to make, perhaps it was cowardly of her, but she remembered Jake telling her once that military leaders learned to make difficult decisions. She looked around at the groups and couples including Gi-chen and Vitingon. She told herself again she was not a warrior, but she would stand and she could guard.

Rameana reminded her of the legend she had spoken of earlier that day. Rameana and the other young adults gathered around as Jasselle told them what she remembered of the ancient Greek legend, which unfortunately was not much. The evening moved on to other tales and legends before Rameana and Gi-chen noticed Jasselle fighting not to sleep. They lead her into the branches of home tree where she at last saw a true Na'vi bed, which was very comfortable.

* * *

When she returned to her human body, she wasn't too surprised to find Grace waiting nearby. "I'm at home tree." Grace nodded but didn't say anything. "Home tree, Grace," she repeated wondering why the woman who had been wanting this to happen for so long was quiet.

"About time, but who cares," Grace said dragging her out of the pod. "Everything was a success today." She hugged Jasselle and they laughed.

"You got your samples."

"And more," Grace told her leading her to the mess hall.

At the mess hall, Mary leaped up and hugged her the moment she spotted her. "Thank you so much."

"Had a good day, huh?" Jasselle asked.

"Oh absolutely. Tyshimon was amazing," Mary said.

"Really?" Jasselle tried to keep the surprise out of her voice.

"Yes, sit, sit, sit. You must be starving."

"Hungry, yes. Starving no." Jasselle joined the group and asked, "So, some details ladies?"

"He helped me get samples of six mammals, both genders, and two insects. He actually caught them with his bare hands," Mary told them.

"The mammals?" she asked with a shudder.

"No, no," Mary said laughing, "the insects. And his aim with the sampler harpoon was so much better than mine."

"What harpoon?" Jasselle asked wondering at what point did she decide not keeping up with the other operators had been a good idea.

"It takes small skin and tissue samples without having to approach or harm the animal."

"So his aim was amazing," Grace concluded. "We'll have to keep that in mind going forward."

"He was nice… and so careful. A little bossy, but I didn't mind. He knew what he was doing, just like that other guy promised."

"You mean T'seng, right?" Jasselle was amazed to hear this description of the man who attacked her. "So, you have plenty to keep you busy?"

"For now," Mary said flipping open her notebook. "Look at all these images."

"Is that a bio scan picture?" Grace asked as she watched the image of a pair viper wolves change to reveal their skeleton and muscles.

"Yes," Mary said proudly. "Before I came, I managed to buy the latest model. I should have brought more harpoon tubes, but how could I have known he was so good?"

Jasselle watched as the images scrolled along and saw animals she had yet to see herself. Then as Mary was about to close the notebook, she saw there were more pictures. "Mary?"

"What?"

"There's more pictures in that folder."

"No," Mary was trying to hide them, "They're nothing."

"Nothing? Then showing us shouldn't be a problem." Jasselle said drumming her nails softly on the table. "Come on, I can tell you want to show someone." She was a little confused and hopeful.

"Well…"

"They're just pictures, aren't they?" Grace asked.

Mary turned her notebook to them. On the screen was a picture of Tyshimon reaching out and catching an insect by its wings.

"Nice action shot," Jasselle said with shrug.

Mary stared at her surprised and demanded, "Is that all you can say about him?"

Jasselle looked over with a smirk, "Him? I was talking about the picture." Mary turned a little red. Jasselle reached over and tapped through a few more of the pictures. All include Tyshimon in some way. "So he's very photogenic, I guess," she said trying to be polite.

Mary snatched her notebook back, "So what?"

"Easy, no need to get defensive. I'm glad you got not only what you needed, but had a good and more importantly safe time."

Mary nodded settling back to the meal. Shyly, she asked, "Did he… what did he think?"

Jasselle shrugged, "I don't know. I didn't see him once I left for home tree… However, if you want I could try to slip him a note before study hall tomorrow." Inside she was extremely relieved she had one side of this equation working out.

Mary punched Jasselle in the arm as people laughed. "That's mean. It's not like that."

Grace laughed, "Now, now children."

Jasselle grinned, "It's not like what? There are a few other pictures in there."

Mary frowned and snapped, "Well, not everyone can have so many admirers, Ms. Mysterious."

Startled, Jasselle said, "Mary, I was only teasing. I hardly know Tyshimon, and what do I know about you? Besides, me mysterious, I'm a train wreck when it comes to men."

Mary glared a bit at her. "Since, now, you want to be nice. What do you know about him?"

"He is a warrior, naturally. He is single, had a bad break up that I know of. He doesn't like it brought up though. Can have a temper, which explains the bruise over his nose that I accidentally gave him."

"You did that? Why?"

"It was an accident and I don't want to talk about it. Anyway, it has given him poor opinion of us dream walkers and that's why your description of him surprises me."

"So he might…"

"I don't know. I do have friends out there and for a friend I'll find out. All right?"

Mary nodded.


	11. Meeting and Plans

In the morning at home tree, things were calm. It didn't surprise Jasselle to see the clan had elements of most societies: parents were getting their children out of bed with various degrees of success, hunters were preparing their weapons and tools to go to work, and groups gathering to socialize over breakfast. 'So many similarities,' Jasselle thought, sitting beside Rameana and her friends.

They welcomed her and spoke of things that Jasselle thought of as the clan's gossip. When they asked about the happenings on base, Jasselle brought up Grace and Mary. "_They had so many good things to say about what your clan members did for them. Both _Grace_ and _Mary_ wanted me to extend their gratitude for what you all did for them. Although, with _Mary_ I have to wonder if it was actually Tyshimon that was with her_."

"_What do you mean_?" Gi-chen asked worried.

"_She thinks he's amazing. What were her exact words… oh yes, nice, careful, little bossy, and knew what he was doing_."

Gi-chen stared, "_He is a pain… as you would say_."

Jasselle laughed, "_I know, so what happened? _Mary _has been trying since before I got here to get what they call _samples _and yet one of the first things she tells me about yesterday is that Tyshimon caught insects with his bare hands_."

"_Does this mean she likes him_?" Rameana asked.

"_It is very likely, she is curious to know what he thought of yesterday. Can I count on someone to find out_?" The group laughed and promised to keep an eye on Tyshimon for her.

"_Did you find out anymore about the _Kranken _legend you were telling us_?" another asked.

Jasselle shook her head, "_Not really, the legend is extremely old from a time that is beyond simply being ancient history. I have not been able to find a _written_ form of it. _Mary, _was the one who chose the term _Kranken, _but she doesn't know the story, just what it was said to look like_."

* * *

A short time later, Doe'shy came for her by request of the chief. The heads of the clan were meeting and were granting Jasselle the privilege of joining them. The meeting was held high in the branches of home tree. When Jasselle arrived she was placed between Mo'at and the healer. Neytiri was close and Tsu'tey stood with the chief. They first reviewed all they knew of the mining. The situation wasn't as bad as Jasselle feared, but it wasn't good either. The mining could start in a matter of weeks now.

"Jasselle," the chief said.

"_Yes_?"

"_Tell us, more of what you told Tsu'tey, last night_."

Jasselle jumped and nearly groaned. A heartbeat later Mo'at said coldly, "_Last night_." The chief and Tsu'tey flinched. Neytiri glared at her future mate as well. "_She was to rest_."

"_Too late now_," Jasselle said quickly and repeated her words and added all of the techno pagan's warnings. "_There's no way for me to know what will happen. I am not a _techno pagan."

"_You are not many things_," the chief agreed annoyed.

Jasselle hung her head rather than meet his cold gaze.

The healer clasped her shoulder and said, "_What you are is a good friend and student of the Omaticaya_."

Jasselle nodded.

"_True_," the chief said, "_Will you use this weapon_?"

Jasselle squared her shoulders, met his eyes and said, "_If that is the will of the clan, yes_."

"_Then do so, as soon as possible_."

"_And may Eywa keep you safe_," Mo'at said catching her eyes. The shaman realized what the rest didn't, when Jasselle said all the humans would be in danger. Jasselle would be putting her own life at risk along with the other avatar operators.

"_This probably won't stop them completely_," Jasselle warned.

"_We will plan_," he promised. "_You may go and be among us_."

"_Thank you_," she said rising, "_And good luck to all of us_."

As she made her way down the branches, Vitingon meet her. "_Come, there is something, Gi-chen and I wish to show you_." He led her up another group of branches. Then he motioned her to wait near the trunk. Toward the leaf-covered branches, he made a series of odd chirping sounds. From those branches flew out a banshee landing before him. Jasselle jumped back reaching for weapons she didn't have. Then another banshee swooped up and landed practically beside her. She backed away quickly and Vitingon had to grabbed her before she stepped off the branch. "_Careful_," he warned. "_And don't look them in the eye_."

Gi-chen slide off the banshee that just landed, "_Are you all right_?"

"_Just surprised, a warning would have been nice_," Jasselle answered.

"_We wanted to surprise you_," she said, "_Sorry_."

"_Perhaps, it was too much_," Vitingon pointed out.

Jasselle took a deep breath and shrugged, "_I'll be fine. They're bigger than I thought_." Looking about the banshees.

Gi-chen nodded to Vitingon. To Jasselle, she said, "_Watch him_."

Vitingon went to his banshee and held the end of his braid out. The banshee clicked its fangs and turned its head to the side. The tentacle-like part twisted around toward Vitingon and the fibers joined together without his help.

"_Did… how did… is that suppose to happen_?" Jasselle stammered.

Gi-chen laughed, "_Yes, each of these banshees will carry only one warrior in their lives_." Vitingon mounted and his banshee leaped off the branch.

"_Warrior? Only warriors_?" Jasselle asked watching as Vitingon flew out and around home tree. "_Are you sure_?"

Gi-chen smiled at the woman's rapt expression. "_Perhaps, but the right to ride one of the banshees is always earned_."

Jasselle was entranced by thought, "_I'm not afraid of hard work_."

She nodded, "_That is something we all noticed_."

* * *

In the base

Late in the night, Jasselle slipped out of her quarters and headed indirectly to the control center. The base's server room was located in a secured room below control center. The access was restricted to a few technicians, but when one had a master key code security wasn't too difficult to manage. Jasselle had all ready handled the rest of the cameras weeks ago. She watched for guards but any guards were posted upstairs. She pulled on a pair of gloves, punched in her code and slide inside. Before her were row after row of ceiling to floor servers. At the end of the halfway, were the main consoles: one for the base, one for military, and the third for research. The mining equipment had to be under the base console along with so many other critical programs. She shuddered and wanted to believe it was just the climate controls. She plugged in her notebook and began to download the program. It only took seconds for the transfer; she wasn't about to leave a copy of that file in her possession. She unplugged the notebook and waited for the console to bring up the program.

On the screen was a file in the directory that appeared to refer to the lighting controls. With a deep breath, she pulled the icon up, in the textbox pop up was a single button titled 'run program'. She closed her eyes to check her resolve and pressed enter. The text box disappeared and the screen looked the same as it did when she arrived. She sighed though in relief or regret she wasn't too sure.

She heard the door open and dashed to hide behind the servers. Two technicians walked in talking about something. With the rows of servers, she carefully hid between them as technicians worked.

'What rotten luck,' she thought clutching her notebook to her chest.

By the men's words, they believed it was unfair that they had to get up in the middle of night and complete some modification to the mining equipment. "Half an hour's work and why couldn't it wait till morning?" Jasselle waited for the longest half hour of her life. Even after they left she waited, hoping the corridors would be empty when she did leave.

The first hallway was empty, and so was the second. In the third was a pair of guards. Jasselle slipped her notebook under her shirt and into her waistband. She walked down the hallway rubbing her temples and looked rather miserable. As she passed the guards, one of them grabbed her arm, "Hey, where are you off to?"

"The infirmary. Let go."

"Hey, hey, Easy there," the other said stepping around behind her. "Feisty kitty."

"Pretty kitty, too."

"Leave me alone," Jasselle ordered.

"Come on, don't be like that," the first said reaching up to touch her face.

She sidestepped to get out from between them. "You will let me go."

The second laughed, "And if we don't, what will you do, kitty?"

"Show you that even kittens have claws," Jasselle warned.

"Oh really…" the one with her arm said and stepped forward, which was the last mistake Jasselle allowed. She slammed the heel of her palm against his nose. He stumbled back toward the other letting her go.

Jasselle ran for all she was worth. A few hallways later, she slowed down and stopped. She heard no footsteps. Jasselle took several deep breaths, now she really wanted that aspirin. Though if she had broken that man's nose, going to the infirmary might not be such a good idea. She turned the corner and into a uniform. She nearly screamed, but his voice stopped her.

"Hey, Jasselle what are you doing up?" Lt Simmons asked. Jasselle stumbled back gasping. "What's wrong?"

"I just wanted to walk a while to clear my head and get some aspirin," she whispered lightly rubbing her hands over her face.

"The infirmary is that way and you look scared."

She nodded and slowly explained, "Well, I think a marine, I don't want to meet is possible headed that way too."

"A marine? What did he do?"

"He and his friend, I guess, were trying to get friendly. I got spooked and may have broken his nose."

"Friendly… or real friendly."

"I'm not sure."

"You gonna file a complaint. There are rules here," the Lt insisted steering her toward the offices. "The boys should know better."

Reluctantly, she agreed, "You're right. Better safe than sorry."

Jasselle didn't sleep after making the complaint. She went to her quarters to rest, but she couldn't shut off her mind. Now, she had actual enemies in the base and former marines to boot. About an hour before dawn, she gave up on sleep. Lying there clutching her pillow was hardly relaxing. She headed for the link room; at least among the Na'vi, she knew where she stood.

The night techs were surprised to see any of the operators so early. She politely wished them morning and checked her logs making sure they were up to date. When she moved to the pods, with every intention of waking her avatar, a tech said, "You go now, just know you can't and won't be allowed to stay all day."

"When did this happen?" Jasselle demanded, "I'm at home tree. Grace cleared me for the day."

"The managers sent word this morning, they're tapping our power grid as we speak and they said there is nothing we can do to stop it."

Jasselle stared at them and then shook her head, "Whoa, whoa, does Grace know about this?" The tech shrugged. "There's no way. She was too happy last night." She grabbed the receiver for the inter-base communication and punched through the directory.

"Grace is probably not awake yet," the tech warned.

"Then, this is a lousy way to wake up," she replied finding Grace's code. She waited to be answered, annoyed but determined not to take it out on Grace.

"Mm… This better be good?" Grace answered just barely awake.

"Grace, it's Jasselle. Sorry to wake you, but I have to know did you authorize RDA to tap our power grid?"

"What? What are you talking about?" Grace said sounding more awake.

"Apparently, they started tapping our power grid this morning and the techs are telling me that there's nothing to be done about it. And there won't be enough power for me to stay the day in my avatar. I don't know what that means for the rest of the team."

"Excuse me," Grace snapped, "I'll be right there. Wake up more of the team."

"Will do," she hung up and turned to the techs, "Grace is coming. Start waking people."

The tech smiled, "This promises to be interesting."

"Were you ordered not to tell us?" Jasselle glared and punched the directory for Mary.

Barely twenty minutes later, the link room had five operators and three more techs, and all were pretty mad at the news.

"This doesn't make sense. The solar panels are ours. We installed them they didn't do a thing to help," Mary said.

SG was at a console the screen was flipping through programs doing something.

"Anything?" Grace asked him.

SG frowned, "They're confiscating power from all over the base."

"For what?" Jasselle asked confused, though inside she was very alarmed.

"I can't tell," he said frustrated, "It's classified."

"This is unbelievable," Bio said.

Jasselle looked over his shoulder and asked, "Just how much power do we have left to work with?"

"Jasselle, what's the big deal?" he asked and then saw her expression, "What's wrong?"

"My avatar's at home tree. If I don't wake up soon, they'll know something is wrong. If we cancel school, again something's wrong. Do we have enough power to handle those essentials?"

All of them looked at SG. "Well?" Grace demanded.

"At the rate the cells are being drain now, and its going faster than before, for some reason, we could have enough power for either four avatars to have one hour each or one avatar for four and half hours. Maybe."

They all looked stunned. "It takes more than an hour to get from home tree to base. Never mind, I don't know the way yet," Jasselle said.

"Not good," Bio said shaking her head. "This is not good."

"We can't do classes on that time frame," Mary pointed out.

"Grace, what do we do?"

"Jasselle, you get that avatar home. Mary, tell the children there's no classes today. Tell them the truth. Sam, try to save what's left in our grid. Bio, get everyone else up. I'm going to get some answers."

Jasselle and Mary went to the nearest pods. The techs were typing away. The other operators followed Grace out of the link room.

Jasselle opened her avatar's eyes and struggled a bit with the Na'vi bed. Being as quiet as possible she pulled herself onto the branch. It wasn't quite dawn yet. There were few awake. Jasselle didn't want to wake anyone, so she began to make her way down by herself. She nodded to those awake all watched her. She hoped they would understand she wasn't sneaking around.

She nearly slipped but someone grabbed her arm, helping her get her footing again. "_Thank…_" the words died in her throat when she saw it was Tyshimon. He stood on higher ground, glaring down at her. "_Thank you_," she tried again.

"_Where are you creeping off to_?" he basically hissed.

"_Not creeping, just trying not to disturb anyone_."

"_Why_?"

"_There's trouble at the base. I have been ordered to get back there as quickly as I can_."

"_Trouble_?" Tsu'tey asked. He helped her down. Tyshimon merely followed.

Jasselle explained as they went. "_It's nothing I did, though it has been placed_." She slipped again and whispered, "_I can climb trees. I will get better at this_."

"_Then what is wrong_?"

"_I'm not entirely certain. What we do know is they are taking the energy that allows all the tools on base to work. Why we haven't figured out. If it runs out before I'm ready, I will return to my _human _body and this one will sleep. If it does run out, I don't know when I could come back. Grace and I didn't want to burden your clan with the care of this body_."

"_The others_?" Tyshimon asked.

"_The children, the school_?" Tsu'tey asked.

"_School's cancelled, _Mary_'s telling them now. I just need a little help getting back_," she explained finding her harness at the base of home tree and donned it quickly.

"_I'll take her_," Tyshimon offered. Both Jasselle and Tsu'tey stared at him a moment. She could tell he was up to something, but whatever his agenda was she didn't know.

Tsu'tey nodded, "_Go then_."

Jasselle asked him, "_Could you, please, tell everyone that I am so very sorry for leaving like this_?" She followed Tyshimon to the horses, before she needed to ask, "_Why_?" He barely glanced at her and shoved a mare toward her. "_Why are you helping me? I thought you hated me_." He mounted and waited. She stared a moment more before mounting. "Mary, _then_." He glanced at her. "_I don't know if she'll be linked when we arrive, but I could let her know_." Tyshimon wouldn't speak, so Jasselle shut her mouth and let him guide her back to base.

It was a long, hard ride, and very quiet. By the time they arrived at the clearing Neytiri and the other students had been there long enough to let the warriors know what Mary had told them.

Those Na'vi that knew about the fight were surprised to see Tyshimon leading Jasselle. Jasselle could only shrugged when the male's back was turned. She dismounted quickly and headed for the yard.

"Jasselle, _is it true_?" Neytiri asked trying to stop her.

"_You're going to have to come with me and tell me what _Mary _told you_," Jasselle said.

They ran for the yard. "_She said the energy is being taken and the links won't work if it is completely gone_."

"_True, and I intend to get my opinion heard about it. Oh great, I left my staff at home tree. I need to stop rushing_."

"_But is it what you…_?"

"_No, and shush about that_," Jasselle warned stopping outside the gate. "_That can't attempt to start till tonight. It doesn't exist to you or me or anyone else. They must believe it was an accident when it happens, or I'm… I'm very likely dead_."

"_Sorry_."

Jasselle shook her head, "_Don't be. Be careful though, I don't know what's going to happen_." She rushed inside and crossed the yard. She ducked into her tent. Then the base again was strangely quiet to Neytiri's ears. The young Na'vi had noticed that wherever humans went noise and garbage was with them and left behind them.

In the link room were several confused people. Jasselle pushed up her pod's lid and asked, "What's the latest?"

SG shrugged, "They stopped."

"When?"

"Just a few minutes ago."

"It doesn't make sense," Mary added. "What happened? Why did they even do it?"

"I still can't tell," he said frustrated. "But our panels are charging our generator to our equipment again."

"Grace?" Jasselle called looking for her.

"Still with management," David said.

"This really doesn't make sense," the night tech said. "They ordered us not to wake any of you. They just didn't know Jasselle wakes up early though today you were real early."

"Personal issues, my business," Jasselle whispered. "Back on topic, SG, do me a favor will you?"

"Sure, what?"

"Just how much power did they collect and use?"

"You got a hunch," he said typing away.

"No, more curious. If this happens again though, I'd like us to be more prepared."

"They said they wouldn't," David told her.

Mary answered before Jasselle even turned around, "And you trust them?"

"Good point," David admitted.

"Don't worry," SG told them, "I know how they got in. I can keep them out."

"You sure?" Bio demanded.

He nodded, "Yes, the solar panels are on their own circuit to our separate generator. One way in and one way out."

Grace walked in looking like she had a terrible headache. "Cigarette, now. I need one."

"What happened?" Jasselle demanded. "I was hoping to back you up."

Grace drew deeply on the cigarette and exhaled. Then, she snapped, "I don't know, they wouldn't tell me anything… Although they thought they were being nice enough to stop the draining process the moment I confronted them."

"So rushing back to base was a big waste of time. What is the clan going to think of me? Of us?" Jasselle said leaning against a wall.

"We canceled classes for nothing," Mary said.

Grace shrugged, her expression was furious. "Let's just do what we can." She walked passed Jasselle and whispered, "What are they hiding?"

Jasselle whispered back, "I'm not sure anymore."

As everyone got to work, Jasselle pulled Mary aside, "You know, it was Tyshimon that guided me back to base this morning."

"Oh, that was nice of him, I guess."

"Yes, it was. Although, he only offered after I mentioned you were talking to the children."

Mary blinked and then whispered, "You serious?"

"Yes, I bet he's still out there. You could just happen to take a walk with me…"

"Just you, in that jungle, for protection. No way."

"It's a short walk," Jasselle frowned, half annoyed by Mary's lack of confidence and half amused by it. "That's really a shame. I could swear he accompanied me only to see you."

Mary sighed, "I'm not brave like you, Jasselle. Besides, I still have samples to work on." The woman slid away and over to the pods.

Jasselle thought things over and went to SG and Grace.

"This was frustrating," Grace said watching the console.

"Sorry I woke you."

"No, you did the right thing, Jasselle."

"It was to charge something, I think," SG said.

"It was a lot of power," she reminded them.

SG shrugged. Grace studied Jasselle's face and whispered to SG. "Start keeping an eye on the control center for us. If something too unusual comes up and you can't tell me, tell Jasselle. Agreed?"

SG nodded, "Count it on it." Jasselle nodded to them and went to the pods.

Once back in her avatar, Jasselle sighed, things were getting out of control. She stepped out of the tent and watched the other avatars for a bit. Mary was going to the lab area. Other avatars were going about their research business or taking it easy with games or gardening. Jasselle looked to the tree line and saw some of the Na'vi watching those in the yard. She quickly crossed the yard, and was out the gate.

At the tree line, the Na'vi didn't break cover but watched her. "_Apparently, it was a false alarm. Everything seems to be back to normal_."

"_And lessons_?" one of the students asked.

"_Still canceled for today, so the other dream walkers are taking the chance to relax and play games. I'm sure they'll let you join them, if you ask. Others like _Mary _are trying to catch up on their studies_."

Some of the children asked to go play, while others rather stay with the warriors to learn the clan's lessons. Tyshimon slipped into the yard when he thought the others were not looking.

Neytiri stood beside Jasselle as she looked over the yard. "_It seems so strange_," she said.

"_What does_?"

"_The setting is different and the people, but there is an essence here that is like a clan_."

Jasselle nodded, "_I thought something similar about home tree. That's my _anthropologist_ side_."

"Anthro…?"

"_It is the title for some one who studies… _societies… _clans, I guess_," she explained. Neytiri looked curious and Jasselle smiled, "_All right, lesson time. Unlike Grace and the other dream walkers, who are _scientists _and studying things. I am here to study you, but not to poke…_" Jasselle leaned to Neytiri and messed with her hair as though searching for something, "_and prod you as though you have no feelings, no senses_." Neytiri shoved her hands away with a laugh. The other Na'vi also laughed. "_But as a people. No more or less important than my family's people. As an _anthropologist, _I look at how people interact with each other in their own setting or environment. Environment, to me, isn't just jungles and mountains; it's where people live. To _humans_ this environment is normal, familiar, and comfortable. Where for you, home tree has a similar feeling to you. So in both, the actions and reactions of people have developed to create each group's traditions, manners and teachings that are accepted in each of our clans_."

"_So we are the same_?"

"_Not exactly, if all clans were the same, there would be no need to study them. _Anthropology _is about finding the similarities and the differences that make each of our groupings unique. For example, when did your people start using bows and arrows_?"

"_I'm not sure_," she said.

"_Before that time, what did your people use to hunt, to protect themselves? How did their daily lives and clan function? It may have been similar but not the same. Is every Na'vi clan the same_?"

"_These questions excite you_," Neytiri observed.

Jasselle laughed, "_Oh yes, I'm afraid I got a little carried away. As far as understanding a people, we normally fall into two groups. First, I call them stonewalls, they won't budge from the __**normal**__ behavior for their clan. They are frightened by everything different or try to force the surrounding environment to change to what they accept. In other words, their way is the best way, and all other ways are wrong_."

"_And the second_?"

"_Acceptors, they go some place and either go with the flow, like water in a river, Grace is a good example, or they try to absorb as much as they are permitted. Those people can seem like children, even babies at first. What's this? What's that? But mostly they want to know_."

"_Like you_," another said.

Jasselle shrugged, "_I would like to believe I have passed the baby-like stage to the eager student_."

Everyone laughed and turned to head for the clearing or home tree. Jasselle looked over the yard a moment longer. She thought, "Five days and counting."


	12. Haywire

Author's note: I only saw this movie in theaters once and I am so wanting to see it again. But I am refusing to until this story is finished, so I don't alter my point of view.

* * *

Jasselle waited and tried not to wait as she went through each day. At base, she distanced herself from the marines a bit and Lt Simmons told them why. There she tried to act as normal as possible, but her nerves were probably showing. The scientists were encouraged by Jasselle's extended stay at home tree and gave her as much freedom as they could.

At home tree, some Na'vi watched her waiting for some sign that the program was working. Mo'at and the healer continued her lessons and Jasselle was proving to be a great student. The warriors let her be about the mining, she thought Mo'at had something to do with that. Rameana, Gi-chen, and their friends tried to maintain Jasselle's calm through clan lessons and exploring. Many of them had noticed her growing anxiety. Her aim with the atlatl improved each day and Gi-chen hinted she was learning the right things to be permitted to earn a banshee.

In the afternoon on the fourth day, Jasselle agreed to make some Tarot readings. She wasn't certain if they were really all that interested or trying to get her mind off, well, her mind. The women sat in a circle as she pulled out the cards and began to shuffle them. Her fingers fumbled or something causing most of the cards to fall out of her hands. She sighed at the slip and then stopped anyone from picking them up. The Death card stared up at her. Beside it was the tower.

"Jasselle, _what's wrong_?" Mo'at asked. She didn't know what the cards before the dream walker meant, but the images didn't looked good. Jasselle's expression confirmed it.

Jasselle looked at all the cards. Every card with a mostly negative meaning was face up, not a single positive card was showing. She looked at the remaining cards in her hand, afraid to look but turned the stack over anyway. The card she saw was the Wheel of Fortune, but inverted. Fortune was changing for the worse. Jasselle dropped the rest of the stack and wordlessly got up backing away from them. She didn't realize she was shaking.

Mo'at grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her a solid shake, "_What do you know? What do they say_?"

Jasselle stared at the cards not really seeing the women staring at her. She whispered, "_Nothing actually, those _cards_, all of them, are all related to bad fortune. Bad things are coming. Those _cards… _why is Eywa doing this_?"

"_A warning, then_?" Mo'at demanded.

Before Jasselle could reply, she started coughing and choking.

Rameana said alarmed, "_What's wrong_?" Jasselle couldn't stop coughing to answer, she just got worse. She caught Jasselle as she collapsed.

"I can't… breath," she wheezed. It felt strange like the air was causing her breathing trouble but not there. Her senses and motor skills were going in and out. Then the cause hit her, the program had struck. "_The link… my other…_" She fumbled with her com from her waist.

"_What's wrong? Tell us_," Mo'at yelled getting through Jasselle's disorientation.

Some how Jasselle got the com on, but her throat felt like it was closing. Over the com the Na'vi heard panicked voices, coughing and the sound of machines that were louder and more numerous than the Na'vi had ever heard. "What's going on?" "Get masks for the operators!" "Open the pods!" "Severe power." "Only after the links are down!"

"Hello?" Neytiri shouted at the com. "Someone help us, Jasselle is…"

"Is her body safe?" SG shouted back.

"Well, yes…"

"Good, we got to bring her back. Take care," SG said hanging up.

Jasselle suddenly stopped coughing and went completely limp. "Jasselle?" Rameana said, "Jasselle!"

"_They took her back_," Mo'at said.

"_But she_?" Rameana asked about the avatar in her arms. "_It lives_." The body breath evenly without any sign of the strange illness Jasselle had suffered while awake.

Mo'at nodded, "_And we must protect this form of hers and hope Eywa will return _Jasselle _to this body_."

Jasselle wasn't really aware of what was going on. Perhaps because the links had been going the operators had not been completely knocked unconscious when the links were cut. Jasselle was so dizzy as a result and it was so hard to breathe until someone shoved a filter mask on her. The whole chaos was all a terrible blur. So many people were screaming. In her mind, as she tumbled out of the pod she wondered if the program was going to be worth it.

At some point, SG and the techs severed much of the department's power, shutting down the computers. She heard SG believe he could save the servers that way. When Jasselle got her feet steady under her, she walked about in a dazed like the rest of the operators there. Finally, the flickering lights got to be too much for her, so she retreated to the yard and steady sunlight. There, the students were still there and confused. The older students were trying to keep order.

Around the yard, the other avatars were just lying about. Jasselle shook out the fog in her mind and focus on assessing the situation. She saw a small group of young Na'vi over by the lab area. The windows were broken and they were just staring at something in the interior. She stumbled over warning, "Watch out for the glass."

Mary in her human body stood just inside staring at Tyshimon. Jasselle stopped and joined in the staring, he was actually cradling Mary's limp avatar. Moments passed before Jasselle could ask clearly, "_What happened_?"

"_She's dead_!" Tyshimon screamed and turned to them. He was definitely furious, but looked above the humans probably for the avatar version of her.

'Great' Jasselle thought, 'He's pissed, and I'm a little, unarmed human. This does not bode well for me.' She sighed, leaned over to Mary and whispered, "I guess, he doesn't get the link thing and I knew he liked you."

Mary shot her a dirty look and demanded, "Fix it."

"_Tyshimon, down here_." The male stared at them. Jasselle nodded, "_Ignore the face and the form. You know who I am. It is why we are called dream walkers_." She took a deep breath, removed the mask and pointed to her purple eyes as further proof. He just stared stunned. Upon putting the mask back on, she continued, "_I'm that woman, but I'm not going to get out of your way this time, because I'm trying to help you and my friend. This is _Mary. _Her life hasn't actually ended; a new body will be made. It will take time and _Mary _will need to be kept safe till then_."

Tyshimon slowly nodded and looked Mary over finally seeing the similar features. Mary gathered her courage and stepped up to her avatar. "_I didn't mean for this to happen_." It was true, the avatar was not breathing.

"_What did happen_?" Jasselle asked everyone.

Mary shrugged, "_One moment everything was fine. Tyshimon was kind enough to help me prepare the _machine _for the new _samples _he helped me get the other day. Then things went crazy_."

"_These _doors _suddenly closed. And we couldn't get out_," Tyshimon said picking Mary's avatar up and gently laying her on the lab's table.

"_Then the air started flowing out, we couldn't breathe. So I… I didn't mean to scare you, Tyshimon, but I cut the link and the interior was already crazy. No one could get the doors open from the _machines_. No one could really breath. So I ran outside, the others were dropping one after the other out here. The students were scared and I shouted at them to help_."

"_We tried but we couldn't get the _doors_ open_," a student explained.

Another student said, "_Then Tyshimon went crazy and grabbed that _machine…" pointing to a gene analyzer lying nearby. "_And hit the glass till it broke._" Jasselle winced and wondered how Tyshimon managed to choose one of the most expensive machines in the lab to break.

"_I didn't go crazy, she, this body, stopped breathing_," he snapped still confused by the situation.

"_Understandable_," Jasselle insisted trying to calm them down. "_I don't have a problem with what any of you did. Those in charge might, so let's move on quickly_."

The students and Tyshimon helped drag and carry the avatars back to their beds. Jasselle advised them to leave afterward, better they be out of sight before management started looking for answers to the damage. After the last of the Na'vi left, Mary and Jasselle went back inside.

Soon, every available person was called to the mess hall for an emergency meeting. At the front of the hall, Mr. Selfridge stood by several military officers Jasselle didn't totally recognize. She wondered where the security chief was.

"As you all know, approximately three hours ago several systems at base went… for lack of a better word haywire," Selfridge told them. "I am told this was due to several servers crashing."

Personnel started talking at once demanding answers and such. Jasselle searched for those she knew. "Grace," she whispered, "Where is everybody?" Grace looked about noticing the number of people were too few to cover all the personnel even those still dealing with the mess. "What happened outside of our department?"

"I don't know. I haven't had time to look," Grace answered.

One of the marines beside Selfridge stepped forward and ordered everyone to be quiet. Jasselle stared at him. His face was scared with claw marks, but Jasselle didn't know him. She had checked out all the top officers. "All right, as some of you know during that time we suffered a tragic accident. The security chief and his five top officers died due to exposure to the planet's atmosphere." Gasps rose and Jasselle was shaken to the core. The security chief was a fair and sensible man, who took care with everyone's lives. She could predict his actions, at least. "As the highest ranking officer in full health, I, Colonel Quaritch, am taking over as the security chief. A full list of casualties has not been completed, as of yet. Currently, we have lost eight souls and the infirmary is packed. There will be a full investigation of this incident. I am assuming nothing."

Selfridge stepped up beside him. "We need to get everything base-wise and defensive back up and running quickly. All technicians will assemble in the control center for assignment after this meeting. The biggest lose technically was our satellite. Its components that did not burn up on re-entry landed in a lake nearby and we don't have the equipment to recover it."

There were other orders; the one that mattered to the scientists was no link ups till further notice. The scientists headed back to the link room while SG and the rest of the techs headed for the control center. In the link room the lights still flickered and Grace grabbed an emergency lamp. As she turned it on, David turned the main lights off.

"That's better… I guess," Mary said quietly. Everyone found some place to slump into a seat.

"This is unbelievable," Jasselle said more out of shock than surprise. Now there were a whole new set of officers and an investigation. As the wheel of fortune promised, this was really going to get difficult.

"What is going on with them?" Bio asked. "I've never worked at a place with so many problems."

Jasselle barely shrugged while thinking, 'If you only knew the rest of the story.'

"We'll manage, we have too," Grace said trying to encourage her team. She looked Jasselle over again; the woman's mind was working quite hard by her expression and she toying with that strange pendant of hers again. Grace had always thought it was simple yet appealing, even the larger one that Jasselle's avatar wore, but wondered if it actually meant something more. 'What is going on upstairs young lady? And why won't you tell me?' Grace sighed and got back to business. "We will… must cancel school until we're back up."

David nodded and said, "Jass, could…"

"Don't say my name like that," she snapped, "Only my brothers, brother is allowed to call me that."

"Jasselle?" Mary asked.

Jasselle swallowed, that outburst was too much of a slip. "He saved my life," Jasselle said trying to cover the real reason she was upset. "If he hadn't made me carry that rifle that day, I…"

Grace remembered the little Kraken incident and her escape. She thought the security chief's death hit Jasselle hard. "Jasselle, I know you have friends among the marines."

"They could have told us who else we lost or put up a list, something." Jasselle had not seen Missy in the mess hall or Lt. Simmons. Those were not friends she wanted or needed to lose.

"Jasselle! You can check after we are done here," Grace ordered, "For now, focus."

Jasselle took a deep breath and felt Mary squeeze her shoulders. "Sorry, you're right. What do you need?"

David slowly asked, "Jasselle, does your avatar have its com?"

"Should, why?"

"We could call the Na'vi and let them know about school being canceled," he answered.

Jasselle shrugged, "That might work." She stepped over to SG's workstation.

"What about the satellite being down?" Bio asked. People groaned.

"Well," Jasselle held the com, "we won't know till we try." She activated it, but only heard static. "Nope, nothing but snow."

Grace sighed, "Jasselle, tomorrow you go out and talk to the students."

"Me?"

"They know what you look like as a human. Let them know about the situation."

"All right, but what about the avatars?"

"What about them?"

"Without the link, how do we take care of them?"

Grace gave her a ghost of a smile, "You weren't here when the generators failed. We have procedures in place for power failures."

"Grace, my avatar's dead," Mary stated. "Can anything be done? I only got started."

"With the body intact, it should take about two years to repair and revive the body. Don't worry."

"Did Tyshimon leave the body?" Jasselle wanted to know.

"Excuse me?" Grace demanded. "If he didn't, that is six and a half."

"Yes, he left it. Stop teasing," Mary ordered.

Jasselle shrugged, "I wasn't, the Na'vi bury their dead."

"That would have been bad," Grace agreed.

"But not as bad as burning though," Bio said.

"True."

* * *

Jasselle walked through the base toward the infirmary. Many places were either bordering on chaos or looked like they had been. The technicians and mechanics were hard at work everywhere she looked. In the infirmary, she slowly walked the rows of beds. She greeted everyone she knew that was aware. When they could ask, she got them what ever they needed. When she finally passed the last set of beds her heart sank. She had not found Lt Simmons and though she had found Missy, the pilot's condition was critical. She hoped she had simply missed him at the meeting. As a doctor passed, she stopped him and asked, "Where is Lt Simmons, please?"

The doctor was kind enough to check for her. He sighed sadly and shook his head, "He died before it was over."

Jasselle stood there half shocked half terrified. Simmons had been her friend to a point. Someone she had trusted and hoped she could get his real help later. "Doctor, please?" Jasselle started to ask and had to pause, "could you tell me what are Missy, the pilot's… is she going to make it?"

The doctor again checked his notebook and frowned, "She lost her arm and a lot of blood. I'm afraid it doesn't look good."

"Thank you, I'll keep out of your way, I promise." Jasselle closed her eyes to hold back the tears. She heard the doctor walk away. There were so many patients for them to see to. When she thought she could handle it, Jasselle went and sat with each marine she had befriended and tried to comfort them. Some were injured; others had breathed in too much of the planet's atmosphere and were breathing through machines. She did what she could for each of them. Those that could speak told her how they got hurt. Some of what they told her didn't make sense with what Selfridge had said happened or what she knew. Several soldiers were injured by mechs that went crazy, but the virus had been in the servers. It didn't make sense for the mechs to suddenly function at that time.

By nightfall, Jasselle saw Trudy beside Missy holding her friend's remaining hand. With many of the patients settling to sleep there was little else she could do to help them. She went and sat across from Trudy. Missy was missing her hand, forearm, elbow, and part of her upper arm. Jasselle stroked her hair and reached out to take one of Trudy's hands. "What happened?" Missy slept on.

Trudy stared at her, "You don't know."

Jasselle shook her head. "I was at home tree when the link started going and then it was a blur."

Trudy swallowed hard before starting, "We were in the side hanger. Missy was working on her baby's routers. It was so normal, routine even. Then things started sparking, just small things really. No one thought anything of it, at first. But it kept getting worst. Missy slipped and her arm… it went between the router blades as they were turning. She screamed, it was all… everywhere. We tried to bind it, but the doors… and it wouldn't stop getting worst." Trudy hung her head.

Jasselle felt sick and couldn't stop the voice inside her from stating, 'my fault. My friends and it's my fault.' The two stayed with Missy, talking to the sleeping woman. They spoke of all the things they had done together, the gossip they needed to share, the flights they still had to take. Missy continued to fade, and just before midnight their friend drew her last breath. As the doctors took over the body, the two women left the infirmary to let the other pilots know and to find some motor mouth if they could.

* * *

In the morning, she spoke to some of the students, who did remember who she was. She told the older students a bit more. She warned them that it was found that SG had several back up files of basic systems that had survive the viral attack. This possibly meant that the effects of the virus were not going to last as long as she had planned. There was not going to be a lot of time for them to act. Rameana had also sent them a message for Jasselle. Her friend promised to personally care for Jasselle's avatar. Jasselle sent her thanks and mentioned Grace had techniques for caring for the avatars just in case. Jasselle watched all the students go with mixed feelings. She just hoped she could see them again through her avatar's eyes.

She went back inside and headed straight for the infirmary to make herself useful and to not be stuck with her own thoughts. She made no mention of her Wicca training, only that she knew something of field medics. The doctors were grateful for the extra set of hands. She cleaned, bandaged, fetched and carried whenever asked. Mostly she listened to any talk about the time the virus struck. From the talk of both the soldiers and workers the main damage ranged from the control center to the hanger. The rest of base had basic functions go down. However because the techs in the research department had forced a full system shut down so quickly, the damage was minimized. It seemed only Mary's avatar and the windows of the lab were the only loses for their department.

Sometime during the day a marine tapped Jasselle on the shoulder while she was changing bandages. "Dr. Scully, please come with me?"

Jasselle looked up at him and asked, "How important is it for me to do so? They need me too." She indicated the patients and doctors.

"Orders from security chief Quaritch," he said.

Jasselle nodded, "That would do it." She finished up with the current patient, cleaned up, and followed him out. She was taken to the main hanger. The place was a mess, more than she thought it should have been. "What happened here?" she asked. There were wielders reinforcing sections. The main doors were being checked.

The marine said nothing but continued onto overhead walkway. The new security chief was there reviewing a notebook and the surrounding work. "Ah Dr. Scully, glad you could join me a moment."

Jasselle maintained a look of concern over the hanger, while his all too friendly voice set off warning bells. She was going to have to really watch her words with him. She shook his hand, "Yes, what can I do for you?"

"I understand you have a good relationship with the natives."

"Na'vi, sir. And I want to think so."

He nodded, "And you, with your background are versed in reading people, correct?"

"I've been told, but we're talking about individuals, right? Not stereotypes."

"What are your opinions of their leaders?"

"Cautious, wary, firm, but not stubborn. Their Shaman is insightful, deep and holds a mean set of reins on her husband, their chief. The chief is colder, less trusting but cares about his people a great deal… You do realize this is all in my logs?"

"True, but weren't they lost when the systems went down?"

"I don't know, after the power loss about a week ago, SG…"

"SG?" he interrupted.

Jasselle smiled, "Samuel, the tech. I call him SG because he's so smart. You know Super Geek."

He laughed, "Super Geek."

"Yes, well, it's a compliment from me and he likes that."

"All right, continue."

"He told us, the scientists, that he was going from a weekly backup to a nightly backup. So only yesterday's logs should have been in danger, but don't quote me."

"How do you know all this?"

"Are you kidding?" She asked with a bland expression, "That craziness cost us a lot of time and possible respect with the Na'vi. We were about to panic, and SG told us how he was going to fix it."

"Oh, so your knowledge of systems is?"

"Limited to only as far as it works and the contact info for Tech Support. I do have a question if I may, sir?"

"Yes?"

"What happened here?"

"What do you think?"

Jasselle glanced at him and wondered if this was a challenge. "All right, let's see if I'm as smart as I like to believe. Selfridge said the servers crashed and the patients in the infirmary said that the machines went crazy in here. Yet I could believe those are… I think my brother told me this, powder burns that come from explosions. Though that doesn't seem right. No one said anything about an explosion. I didn't hear one over in the research department but that doesn't actually mean anything, the link being severed made me disorientated to the point I should have been knocked out but wasn't. There was so much screaming… So you tell me?"

"So you can nutshell things," he said nodding as though Jasselle had confirmed something.

She shrugged, "I'm told that's what makes me a good Anthropologist. So answer my question, what happened here?"

"Without the security cameras I can only speculate that one of the cranes lost a small load of missiles over there which the resulting explosion unfortunately contributed to the former security chief and his officers deaths."

"He saved my life," Jasselle closed her eyes and sighed. Then she straightened and asked, "What were the missiles even doing out of storage? I could have sworn I read somewhere that the more dangerous arms were only to be brought out if the natives prove to be a threat or outside threats presented themselves."

The security chief flinched at the question; she had landed on a question he didn't want to answer. He said quickly, "It appears to have been a matter of routine maintenance. Might the natives become a threat?"

Jasselle shrugged, "A little history, sir. If you give humans what they think is a good reason, they will bite with what they can. The Na'vi are fairly peaceful, but the warriors and hunters. If you understand what they hold dear and don't threaten those things, they should never have a reason to become a threat. Good enough?"

"Good enough young lady. You're dismissed," he said.

She saluted, "Yes, sir, but I'm not a soldier." Jasselle left as the security chief laughed. On her way back to the infirmary, Jasselle thought the conversation went all right. He had tried to catch if she knew more than she should, but she had instead caught him and appeared to be willing to accept his excuses. She knew from the information he could gather about her, she could not pretend to be any less intelligent than she was or risk causing unnecessary suspicion.


	13. Aftermath Decisions

It took just over a week for the base systems to get back online with stability. Management was thankful for SG's back-up files but their gratitude was only verbal. He and his team received nothing as far as aid (not really needed), increase in their budget (desired), or even an explanation to their questions of the most recent problems (relentlessly asked until they were 'sternly' told to stop).

Jasselle appeared to everyone as a concern scientist and temporary medical aid. Inside, she was an emotional mess of regret, guilt, sadness, along with her driving sense of duty to her Wicca cross star and the Omaticaya. She sometimes wondered if it was that sense of duty and the love for her brother that forced her to keep herself together and sane with all that was happening around her. Jasselle sent her mother and Wicca allies a message describing what happened and more questions. Without the satellite, it was difficult to say when Earth would receive the messages or return from Earth.

When it was finally assessed 14 people had died, not including Mary's avatar (the avatars didn't count as people to either the management or military), more than 40 more injured, and half again were ill from breathing the planet's air. Even with things running again, Jasselle had no idea about the status of the mining project, she was too afraid to search through the base files. The security had tightened a lot under Colonel Quaritch's iron fist and the investigation continued.

The morning the link ups for the operators were to begin Jasselle was the first operator to arrive. This didn't surprise SG in the least. He was relieved to be back working in his department again. Jasselle was relieved just to get out of there, at least mentally speaking.

"Let them know things are back to normal and Grace misses the children," he told her.

Jasselle nodded sliding into a pod, "I will." She was comforted by the soft green light of the pod. She closed her eyes and reached for her avatar.

She felt herself lying in a Na'vi bed and it relaxed her. She opened her eyes to the netting of a hammock and the branches of home tree beyond. The sun was just rising and she felt a warm breeze. A breeze that seemed to be reaching places it shouldn't. Jasselle quickly inspected her avatar's state and realized she was wearing only her wrap skirt and pendant, her other clothing and jewelry were missing. 'Oh, you have to be kidding me,' she thought. Out of the possible responses she could choose, she chose to sigh and bear it. This was not how she wanted to start this morning after how the week had gone. Quietly, she spread the material of the skirt and wrapped it around her covering the essentials, for humans at least. Not much else she could do, at least no one appeared to be wake to notice what she was doing. She opened her hammock, sat up, and tried to figure out just how she was going to get up to the branch above her without losing her wrap. She fingered her pendant and whispered, "_This is not the return I was hoping for. Way too much to talk about_."

Another hammock beside her opened and with a soft cry of joy Rameana jumped over to her. The woman wrapped her arms around her as the hammock swung violently. Jasselle hung on for dear life. "_Rameana, are you crazy_?" Her shout woke several others, and luckily or unluckily they were more in the mood to laugh at her than be angered by the wake up call.

"_Welcome back, sister_," Rameana said.

Jasselle took a deep breath still clutching the hammock, "_Thank you, it's good to be back after… Wait a moment, what did you call me_?"

Rameana smiled and quickly climbed up. "_Sister. Come along_," she said offering her a hand.

When Jasselle was up she yanked the material down where it had slid. "_What changed between us… and speaking of change where are my clothes_?"

Rameana stepped back noticing what Jasselle had done with the skirt. "_Why are you holding the cloth like that_?"

"_To cover myself because…_" Jasselle closed her eyes feeling rather embarrassed. She didn't want to get into modesty and social expectations among humans, right then. Behind her she heard something like a snicker, then a chuckle, before she turned around a male started laughing so hard he was holding his sides. She wasn't expecting the male to be Tyshimon. She tucked the material under her arms and scowled at him. She remained quiet as he tried a couple of times to stop. She had a sinking feeling she already knew what he thought was so funny. Others gathered curious about his laughter. Finally, Jasselle said, "_Is there something I can do for you? … Laughing boy_."

Tyshimon straightened at being referred to as a boy, but his smile remained telling her he only needed the smallest incentive.

"_That's better_," she said shifting her stance, realizing there were Na'vi on the lower branches. "_I assume you know something about what happened these past few days_?"

"_I stayed out of your way_," he said innocently, "_as we agreed. Though I did try to tell your protectors about this _modesty_ thing _Mary _told me about_."

Jasselle looked up to the sky with a sigh, "_Going to have to have a long talk with her_." To him, "_Thank you for attempting_," she said dryly. She glanced about seeing she had become the center of some attention. "_Since I have information about our mutual friend_ Mary, _you may want to know, perhaps you might like to tell me where my clothes are_?"

Tyshimon smiled all the greater, "_Ask your friend_." He started walking away laughing.

Jasselle stifled a groan and muttered, "Should have slept in." She watched Tyshimon and said, "_If a way presents itself to send a similar embarrassment to you, I may not be able to resist it, because I have had a terrible time these past several days. More than you could guess and I am doing all of this for you and the clan_." Tyshimon turned and stared at her.

"Jasselle, _what has happened_?" Rameana asked clasping her shoulder.

She took several deep breaths to keep her emotions under control for the time being. "_Rameana, please, can I get dressed first? To _humans _cloths can be a kind of armor, protection even. And to tell you, everyone, what happened there and listen to what happened away from there, I need all the armor I can get_."

"_Come, this way then_."

As Rameana guided her away, Jasselle saw Tsu'tey walk over to Tyshimon and lightly hit the man over the head. It seemed the heir had become a protector of her by the way he started to scold the warrior.

Between getting dressed and the gathering of the clan, she saw several of the younger students. Within a few words it was plain that the children were quite fond of Grace as the scientist was of them and eager to see her again. It calmed her to have this small piece of good news.

When the time came to speak of the week's event, they gathered at the base of home tree. Much of the clan was present. Jasselle reviewed everything in her head, as she was lead to Mo'at's side. Rameana stayed with her for support. Those who were her closest friends and allies surrounded her as though they could tell she had a weight within her that may be crushing her.

"_Tell us what happened after they took you from us_," Mo'at said.

As Jasselle spoke, she used no metaphors, no pretty words. Her sad tale was laid out bluntly and not softened. The Na'vi listened as the madness the program had caused was explained. The minimal damage that occurred in the research department and what was to be done about Mary's avatar. No one interrupted her as she described the base-wide meeting that followed the program's assault. She told them of the deaths of the security chief and his officers. She explained the replacements and the investigation they were conducing.

"_What does this mean for us_?" the chief asked stopping her.

"_It means, I don't know anything about them_," Jasselle said. "_I reviewed all the officers that had been in charge. There was no need to look further down the chain of command. I knew if we did this, they would do that. I had their reactions figured out. This man, _Quaritch, _he's very different and he scares me for some reason I haven't figured out and I can't used the same methods to learn about him and his officers as before. It's too dangerous now_."

"_What happened next_?" Mo'at insisted wanting her to move on.

"_The dream walkers gathered for a meeting led by_ Grace." Jasselle told them what was said and unsaid. Then she told them about the evening in the infirmary and she didn't bother to hide her emotions. "_They were good people. I was hoping they might be able to help us at the right time. I wasn't ready to lose them. _Simmons _looked out for me and the other women on base. He didn't, he shouldn't have… I didn't even get to say good-bye. I got rushed; I wanted to be here and just waved to him at breakfast. And _Missy_ is… was a good friend. I could talk to her about anything expect the mining. Even when all of this started taking its toll on me, she could still make me laugh and forget. How she died was the worst_."

"_What do you mean_?"

"_Her arm was cut off by her own aircraft. It shouldn't have even happened. What I did was only suppose to affect the _systems _controlled by the base's _computers_. It somehow affected the warriors' weapons as well. I have sent a message to the _techno pagan _for her understanding of this, but it shouldn't have been possible. That's how most of all those injured or killed got into that state. 14 died, over 40 injured, several sick… It was my doing, my fault no matter how much anyone tells me it wasn't. My fault and now I have to live with it_."

No one said anything for a time. Mo'at looked into her eyes and searched. She wiped Jasselle's tears away. "_Believe what you may. I am sorry this weight is one I cannot take from you. Only you can remove it from your shoulders_." Jasselle nodded and continued describing the rest of the events.

Finally, it was the Na'vi's turn to speak of the past several days and for Jasselle to listen. Mo'at and Rameana began by explaining what happened immediately after she return to her human body. Her avatar was carried to safety, up into home tree. They told the clan of its beginning. Warriors were sent to see the students back to home tree safely. Then they waited for the humans to all leave, returning to the base, before starting their attacks. In small groups, they set their sights on the mining equipment. They broke the machine's eyes. They attempted to pry away the metal plates and when they succeeded they yanked out what they could reach. They remembered Jasselle's warnings of the electricity and wrapped their hands in the robes that RDA had gifted to them. Others had found large pieces of rubber to use on the wires. They carried away everything they could carry. Rameana, Gi-chen, and Vitington had more success in this. Rameana knew, from the nights she carried Jasselle, what type of tool would work best on what panel.

"_We have done well_," Tsu'tey said.

Jasselle nodded, "_Far more than they could have imagined… but… it may not be enough_." Tsu'tey and the rest stared at her. "_If they were a sensible people like you, this may have been enough. Their leaders, _Selfridge _and _Quaritch, _are very stubborn to the point I would say foolish_." The Na'vi frowned and muttered angrily. "_I'm sorry, but that is what I feel is the truth. They believe you are not as smart, not as well armed as they, and hence a weaker people_." That caused growls. "_And do you think they want to admit defeat to a weaker people? Oh no_," She held Tsu'tey eyes. "_You wouldn't like to surrender to one you believe is weaker either, correct_?"

Tsu'tey stared back; she could see his teeth were clutched. "_No, no warrior would wish to do that_."

"_Then we will continue_," Neytiri said firmly.

"_I am sorry to say such things, but it is unfortunately their truth_," Jasselle nodded, "_Is there any other choice_?"

"_There is more_," Mo'at said, "_What haven't you said_?"

She shrugged, "_You are as good as my mother_." Mo'at smiled with her eyes but her expression remained firm. Jasselle sighed still confused herself, "_I am not sure. As much as I would rather be here among friends and those I truly trust… I feel I should return to the yard. _Quaritch _wields what is known as an _iron_ fist, which is hard and unmovable. There is so much I can't do anymore with him in control_."

"_But the yard, why not stay here_?" the healer said, "_It upsets you now to be there. You belong with us_." She placed her hand over Jasselle's heart. "_You feel it, this is home_."

"_Yes, you are right and that's what makes this decision so hard. It scares me to be alone there but something inside_…" she covered the healer's hand with her own, "_tells me, the yard is where I need to be. No matter how much I want to stay, I have a duty I need to do. The duty must continue there_."

There was little left to say then. Much of the clan was sorry to see her go, but the warriors and Mo'at understood on some level that sense of duty that was driving Jasselle to go. As she was guided back to the yard, the warriors taught her a trail between the base and home tree. It was just in case, she needed to reach them by herself, just a precaution.

She entered the yard with a heavy heart. The warriors who escorted her back said farewell calling her sister; even without a banshee and the ceremony she was sister enough for them.

Grace was surprised and dismayed to see Jasselle return. Jasselle lied explaining that the Na'vi had sent her back to base because it was the second time she had 'rudely' left. The Na'vi had been greatly disturbed by the nature of the link being severed. Jasselle nearly asked Grace to her tent to confess the whole truth to her, but as she looked over the yard she saw a sight that alarmed her. There were soldiers on the base wall near the edges of the yard. They had never been so close to the yard while the old security chief lived.

Jasselle looked her tent over as though a stranger. It seemed so small after her stay at home tree. As she entered it and put her things away she really knew the healer was right. The base, the yard, even the department was no longer home in her heart. Closed in her tent, she barely moved the edges of the ceiling cover for light but wary she could be watched. Jasselle hoped she was wrong, she wanted the danger to have already passed.

She settled as much as she could. She pulled out her Tarot box and looked it over. Then she retrieved her notebook from its hiding place. Together she looked at both side by side: spirit or mind, traditional or modern, natural or technical.

She pushed both away from her and buried her face in her hands. Jasselle's instincts screamed that she was in too deep to escape. With Quaritch in charge, the time to tell Grace or any of the other operators the whole truth had come and gone. It was a matter of time now, probably. 'What would happen to Pandora? To the Na'vi? To Jake?' she wondered.

"Plan for the worst, strive for the best," she whispered. She needed to hear herself say it. Jasselle reached for both the box and the notebook again. She needed to be ready. She had to ensure Jake would know if she was not there for him. Another skill most Wiccas learned was in secrets. Now Jake alone knew how to find her secrets, he had to remember he wouldn't be able to ask mother.

* * *

That evening, in the mess hall, several marines tried to comfort her. They thought they knew why she was moping: Lt Simmons, Missy, or even the stupid Na'vi rejecting her. Once their words and actions would have amused her, now it ruined her appetite.

"Stop it, please," she begged them. "You're not helping and I'm not in the mood. The only marine I want right now is my brother.

"Your brother," one of them snapped, a little harshly.

"Just a little bit of family, really. That's what I want. I have appreciated all of you talking to me, but I can't handle this right now." Jasselle got up and left. Her plate was half full. She hated the thought of wasting it, but she just could not eat.

In her quarters, she set up and recorded a message to her mother with underlying messages to all the Wiccas who had helped her. She explained what had happened since her last message and the feeling she had of a storm preparing to break over her. To her mother her words seemed light-hearted on the surface with plans of what she and Jake would do together once he got here. In the Gaelic code, she explained how this message might be good-bye and how very sorry she was for getting into this mess.

As she called it a night and prepared to shut off the lights, she performed and spoke aloud with her whole heart in her words a full and proper Wicca blessing, very like a spell of old, to her brother's safety but not her own. She still had a few cards to play. She was still breathing, there was still hope.


	14. Running Out

Jasselle spent the following days as she usually did when she was confined to the base. Grace was disappointed at the loss of status for Jasselle with the Na'vi, but was forced to respect the Na'vi's decision. During the school time, Jasselle took the older students aside for lessons as before. A couple days passed and Jasselle wondered if her instincts had been wrong. She hoped so; she dearly wanted to return to home tree.

One afternoon, a couple of the Na'vi had found her woven basket she kept to hold fruit for guests and asked how it was made. She was actually rather proud of that basket. She had made it during her first week in the avatar program while she was recovering from the sleeping sickness. It forced her to focus on her motor skills. So the lesson for the day involved Jasselle showing them that method of basket weaving. The style was new to their clan. While some of them were trying to weave the wet reeds, the com at her waist activated. At first she wanted to ignore it being in the middle of a lesson and all, but she had never been rude to the techs before and refused to be rude to them now. So she stepped away from the students and answered.

SG was on the other end whispering, "Jasselle, I couldn't get a hold of Dr. Augustine. I think something's up in the control center."

"What's wrong?" she said softly. There was a tone in his voice that worried her.

"It's management, they… they said something about these equipment problems that I've never heard of being possibly the native's fault and Quaritch has been authorized to get the kids. Whatever that means but it sounded bad."

Jasselle nearly dropped the com, "Oh Ewya no."

"Do you know what's going on?"

"When are they coming?" she asked cautiously looking around. The soldiers on the base wall were acting as they had before, maybe there was still time. She locked her muscles and held a blank expression; she had to look normal to everyone.

"Jasselle, do you…"

"Samuel, please, when?" she interrupted urgently.

There was silence for a moment. It had been a long time since, if ever she had called him by his name, his full first name. "I think as soon as they get the aircrafts up," SG said, the concern in his voice had increased. "What's going on?"

Jasselle spoke very slowly and distinctly, "Samuel, please listen closely. You never called me and you didn't know anything about any of this. Understand?"

"Jasselle… oh man," he whispered.

"Promise me, please?" she pleaded.

"All right."

"Thank you and take care… if I can't explain." Jasselle hung up and put the com away. She took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. She walked over to Neytiri and other Na'vi. "Everyone," she said plainly motioning all of them to gather around. She pulled out the ear clasp and clearly shut it off. She whispered, "_I have some bad news, but __**don't **__any of you dare panic. We are out of time. They suspect and they are coming as I feared to capture the children_." Neytiri started to say something but Jasselle gripped her arm hard with a warning glare. "_Quietly, calmly, you shall rejoin the children. When you hear the _aircraft_ coming, and it will be soon, grab the children and run for the jungle. Don't come back. Get to home tree_."

Most of the students walked calmly enough toward Grace's current lesson spreading themselves out among the young children. Their faces mostly blank of expression, Jasselle could see the nerves in all of them. Neytiri stayed with her a moment longer. "_What about you_?" she asked seeing through the calm face to the trembling eyes that were dark with fear.

"_I don't know what will happen_," Jasselle said honestly. She pulled out the box holding her Tarot cards. "_Take these, please. If anything happens to me, I want Rameana to have them. I wish so much that my brother was here… Neytiri, if the worst does happens and I'm no longer… around, would you look out for my brother. He can be a _baka_ at times, but he really tries his best at everything and… he's __**my**__ favorite _baka."

"_I will. May Ewya protect you_," Neytiri said taking the box. She walked away to another group of children.

Jasselle went to her tent, being on the closer end to the base than the lesson area. She hoped she might be able to hear the aircrafts sooner and get them moving. 'Fortune's wheel really did turn for the worst,' she thought as she waited.

It seemed so long, but was probably only minutes, but there it was the whirl of the routers. They actually were coming this way. Jasselle caught the eyes of one of the Na'vi males. She tugged at her ear, nodded, and mouthed '_run_'.

He stood up, grabbed the children closest to him and said, "_We're leaving now, all of us_."

The interruption stopped Grace in mid-sentence. "What's going on?" It was too late; the children and young adults were already running for the tree line. Seconds later, everyone could hear the aircraft. Jasselle bolted for a child who stumbled to the ground. An aircraft came over the wall to the shock of the scientists. The aircraft tried to cut the Na'vi off from the jungle, but they had too much of a head start. The soldiers on the wall tried to cover the base wall, but there was no point to that. The Na'vi were retreating not attacking.

Jasselle picked up the boy and ran for the jungle but the aircraft did get between her and the jungle gate. Jasselle stopped holding the frightened child close. Another aircraft swipe by the base wall. Jasselle looked about trapped between the two crafts for someplace to run.

Grace and the other scientists either stared at her or the aircrafts. Over the craft's loudspeaker they heard, "Dr. Scully, we need to talk to that child. Please, hold onto him till our soldiers come to take charge of him."

Jasselle knelt down quickly and told the child through sub-vocals, her eyes never leaving the craft, "_Listen and do as I say. When I leave your side, you run for the jungle as fast as you can_." Jasselle watched as the aircraft lowered, "_Don't look back and don't stop. Just run_." She clutched her long sword. "_As fast as you can_." 'Jake, My brothers and sisters, forgive my foolishness.' Just as the marines were about to jump off, Jasselle lunged at them striking with the sheathed sword. She wanted to stop them, not hurt them, really.

The boy ran for all he was worth as Jasselle knocked the marines down and reached into the craft for the pilot. She shouted at them, "Talk, to a child! Do you think I'm that stupid? You won't harm him, I won't let you!"

The pilot screamed at her, "Stop that, we have orders." She caught his jacket and yanked him out of his seat. The aircraft jerked up knocking everyone around.

Jasselle jumped away from the aircraft and found herself flanked by two marines. The same two men that had harassed her a week or so ago, their rifles pointed up at her. "Drop it, freak-show," one ordered. Jasselle dropped her long sword.

"Hands on your head, get on your knees!"

Jasselle did as she was told, knowing it wasn't going to be long now. She looked at the other operators. They looked so confused and frightened, and there was nothing she dare tell them. David stared at her with something that could be pity; he knew she realized he would have helped, if only. She looked toward the tree line. The boy had made it. 'This is not the dumbest thing I have ever done, just a right thing. It was the right choice, definitely. Mom would agree, after she stopped being angry at me for getting caught.'

There were a few Na'vi near the tree line, but they didn't dare break cover they could only watch. Within moments they watched as Jasselle's unique violet eyes rolled up and the woman fell to the ground. The marines started dragging her limp body carelessly to the cabin. The operators took over carrying her as Grace went into the cabin first for some reason. They saw her dumped on a bed and the marines tied her wrists to the bed frame. T'seng tapped the staring Na'vi and whispered, "_We must go. We must return to home tree_."

Rameana shook her head, "_Someone must stay and watch. We can't abandon her_."

"_Do not let them see you or find you_," Neytiri told her and handed her the box.

"_Her _cards?"

"_She asked me to give these to you in case something happened to her_."

"_I will kept them safe_," Rameana held the box close.

The Na'vi nodded and two others agreed to stay. Neytiri sighed and said, "_We must return to home tree immediately. I must tell my mother_."

Grace shoved the lid of her pod up and saw a small group of marines around Jasselle's pod. One of them threw the woman over his shoulder like a sack. She was limp as a rag doll. "What is going on?" Grace shouted, "Where are you taking her?"

The sergeant shoved her back as the other marines kept the techs back. "Orders from the security chief. The natives are believed to be involved with the sabotage of company equipment. Dr. Scully's actions earlier have made her a suspect as well. She is to be detained immediately." The marine with Jasselle walked out.

"Sabotage? Of what? This is insane. This is my department! She is my scientist," Grace snapped, "Someone get after them. I want to know where they're taking her." The smallest of the techs slipped under a marine's arm and ran out.

"I'm sorry Dr. Augustine. My orders come from security chief Quaritch," he said and turned to the other marines, "All right move out."

"What are you people talking about?" she screamed, but they didn't answer. They left and Grace sat heavily on the nearest chair staring at nothing. Her world flipped upside down. The children had run off without explanation and probably would not be there for school tomorrow. One of her scientists, the one with the best relationship to the Na'vi was arrested without warning or reason. "I need a cigarette," she said quietly.

"Dr. Augustine, what do we do?" a tech asked. Grace shook her head confused as everyone else.

David came out of his pod. He looked around for any RDA workers, but there was no one but their scientists and techs. He saw the small group around Grace and saw SG thinking something over. David knew SG knew something. He went to SG and whispered, "Keep your mouth shut. Whatever it is, for now be quiet."

SG stared at him, "She's our friend."

"We'll get our chance."

Grace noticed them talking and said, "Somebody find out what's going?" The personnel started moving and she ordered, "David, SG, a word." They both came close. "Well?"

"Grace, I think I know something and I am certain we have been had," SG whispered checking the doors.

David pleaded, "I can't, Grace. They'll hurt her, if I tell you."

"Jasselle," she asked, but David shook his head. He looked both scared and ashamed. Grace blinked and winced, "The secrets, Jasselle believed they were hiding secrets. I didn't listen closely enough, did I?"

"None of us did," David pointed out.

* * *

Jasselle woke up in a detention cell with a terrible headache. She took a deep breath and reminded herself they probably didn't actually have proof she had done anything wrong. Maybe they would write her off as being overly protective of the Na'vi. She knew it wasn't likely, but she might as well try.

She sat up and stretched her sore muscles. The guard saw she was awake and started to contact someone. Jasselle calmly got up and walked to the cell door. "Excuse me," she said. The guard looked over at her but continued his conversation. She looked over her cell and leaned against the wall. She rubbed her knuckles on her forehead her skull was killing her. When the guard finished his call Jasselle asked, "Excuse me, can you tell me what's going on?"

The guard glared at her, as though her guilt should be obvious. Jasselle's expression didn't change. She had months of practice at hiding the truth. They stayed locked in the staring contest for while. Finally, he turned away from her pained confusion. "Please, what's going on? I have a right to know the reason or reasons I am in here." She leaned her head against the cell door, increasing the impression of a person who is harmless to the guard.

"The security chief will be here soon," he said.

Jasselle asked, "He will explain then?" He nodded. "Thank you." She closed her eyes; her mind was a jumble wondering how the security chief would interrogate her. This was once again one of those times her imagination was not helpful. It was a long wait for the Colonel. She wondered if it was deliberate. She attempted to keep her mind busy and perhaps annoy the guard as well by reciting Mo'at's teachings in Na'vi, of course. "Oh, my head hurts, I need some aspirin," she whispered after a time.

"What you need…" Quaritch snapped entering "is to explain what happened in the yard this afternoon?" He stood in front of her cell, arms crossed and glaring at her.

Jasselle moved to stand across from him. She chose the military stance of at ease to give him a sub-conscious feeling of more control over her. "My job, sir," she answered quietly, "is to obtain and maintain a solid working relationship with the Na'vi. What were your soldiers doing bringing those aircrafts into the yard?"

"That doesn't concern you."

"If that's true, why am I in this cell? Apparently, what you were doing wasn't my business but I unintentionally made it my business, sir."

"A valid point. You interrupted my investigation and made yourself a suspect," he said.

"I protected a child," she said, "And would have done so on many a different situation. If I may, sir, what am I a suspect of?"

"There have been many… unexplained incidents that have happened around the base and out in the jungle to personnel and equipment." He paused letting Jasselle take a moment to absorb this information and to see if she appeared to know what he meant. Jasselle didn't slip, only seemed confused and concerned. "We have evidence suggesting the natives have something to do with the jungle incidents."

She shrugged, "I guess it could be possible, but why and what kind of incidents are you talking about? I haven't heard about much outside of my department… Unless you count what the various soldiers have told me over meals."

"The nature of these incidents, Dr. Scully, concerns an objective of the company which has been delayed."

Jasselle waited for him to continue and admit the mining, but realized he was going to continue to test her. "All right, what objective? How was it delayed?"

He frowned, "That doesn't concern you." Jasselle groaned and rolled her eyes rather frustrated. "And as I said before, I will conduct a thorough investigation."

Jasselle stared at him, "How can I possible attempt to answer your questions and be cleared as a suspect, if you don't tell me what's going on? You and your soldiers made this my concern." She waved her hand at the cell. "Sir, the concern stems on how do I get out of here and back to work."

The security chief stared at her a while as though trying to read her. The soldiers with him didn't seem all that intelligent, just the stereotypical jarheads. Smart enough to follow orders and stay out of trouble but not going to bother with thinking about those orders. They were useful to only one person and it wasn't Jasselle.

She decided to change the topic a little. She blinked and looked a little alarmed at him, "Don't tell me you think because I protected that child that I had something to do with… whatever happened."

She saw the slightest tug at his mouth before he said, "I am making no assumptions. Your actions on this planet will do reviewed."

Jasselle blinked at him and whispered, "You mean some one is going to look through all my things."

He chuckled, "Yes, what's wrong doctor? Have some skeletons you would rather not dug up."

"No sir," she said uncomfortably. "It's just that some of the things I brought with me are irreplaceable. I don't want them broken or walking off."

"You will be present and we will get to the bottom of this," he said and left.

Jasselle stared after him and whispered, "That guy is a little scary." Her guard laughed a tad forced though.

* * *

Later in the evening, Grace came to visit her. They talked for a while, but not about what they really wanted to talk about. Grace was plainly angry, but not just over Jasselle's arrest but also everything she didn't know. "Do you know what is going on?"

"Grace, if I had the whole story, do you think I would still be in here waiting for them to pick apart my life?"

"No, you wouldn't," Grace agreed. "Do you know what the next step is?"

Jasselle shrugged, "Theirs. I can't see that far."

"I wish…"

"Don't," Jasselle said. "Wishing means you are looking for something you can't do yourself."

She sighed, "Very well. Stay alert, I don't like this."

"That makes two of us. Good night Grace."

* * *

Jasselle remained in that cell for several days. In her mind, either the security chief was trying to wait her out or had other things on his plate. Her guard was kind enough to her, but didn't do or say anything useful. The scientists and techs visited her at random, but their words were guarded and the topics odd. It was just short of maddening to her knowing that something was wrong but not what.

Suddenly, one morning Jasselle heard shouting nearby. She stood at the cell door and traded confused looks with her guard. Then the screaming entered the detention area in the form of Selfridge, Quaritch, and Grace.

"That's what this is about," Grace snarled, "Mining!"

"It pays for this lovely project of yours," Selfridge said spreading his arms. Quaritch was watching Jasselle's expression.

"What's going on?" Jasselle demanded.

Grace threw up her arms just short of throwing a tantrum she thought. "They're mining."

"Mining…" Jasselle repeated and then thought of how to a wrench into the works. "Wait a second. You mean those large trucks that marine told me about months ago were actually for mining."

"You knew…" Grace snapped as Selfridge and Quaritch looked at her like hungry predators.

Jasselle shrugged, "I didn't take him seriously. He couldn't even pronounce a term that was some long science word to him." She glared at the men. "How could you not tell us? We could have prepared the Na'vi for this better."

"Naturally, no wonder they're no longer willing to talk to any of us," Grace insisted.

"Please don't tell me it's that bad?" Jasselle asked

Quaritch glared at Jasselle and said, "Maybe that's true, but it doesn't explain what has been happening."

Jasselle attempted to prompt him, "And what's been happening?"

"Never mind, all right for the time being I am continuing the investigation. Your quarters Dr. Scully will be search promptly."

"Her quarters?" Grace snapped.

"Grace, chill," Jasselle interrupted, "Let them conduct their procedures, because obviously they are still enjoying this guessing game of theirs. It's not worth arguing." A guard opened the cell and insisted on placing cuffs on Jasselle, much to the annoyance of both women. She was led back to her quarters, where three other marines waited for them. "How many does it take to search two rooms?" she demanded.

"Quiet, you want this done carefully, right?" he warned with a kind smile.

She blinked at him and whispered, "Was that a threat?" She stepped away from him. "How do I know my room hasn't been search already? How do I know this isn't a witch hunt with something planted?"

Quaritch ignored her questions and nodded to the marines, "You may begin."

Jasselle watched as they thoroughly and carefully took her rooms apart. When a marine held up an object she was instructed to identify it and its purpose. She quickly realized when she showed more concern over an item the more it would be handled. She couldn't remember asking people to be careful so often before. It was an odd kind of mental torment. Finally, they went through her cloths (an acute embarrassment) and pronounce themselves satisfied… for the moment. Several of her unusual belongings were taken for further review. As she was guided back to the cell, she didn't hide her frustration. "Well, when can I return to work and clean up my space?"

Quaritch glanced at her with an uncomfortable look in his eyes, "We are not through yet."

"What else is there?"

"That tent outside," he reminded her as she groaned. "You have hosted quite a few of the natives in it over the past several months."

"You must be joking. There's nothing in there that could…" she paused remembering the notebook. 'Don't lie to them unless you have to.' Quaritch grinned figuring she was hiding something there. She winced, "Ok, I did take my personal notebook in there, but that was just for quick reference for historical tools and skills. There's nothing in there that did not correlate with my objective."

The security chief frowned, "Nevertheless, one of the technicians will review the files within it."

* * *

Jasselle spent another several lonely nights and days. The days so empty they nearly blurred together. Word traveled through the base about the mining finally breaking through the topsoil and drawing up the first loads of RDA's precious ore. She learned about it from the marines who brought her meals. They were obviously relieved at its beginning. 'Blind fools,' Jasselle thought, 'Refusing to see past today.' She listened and waited; she had no other choice for the moment.

* * *

One day the guards directed her to come to the front of her cell. They cuffed her once more and led her out of the detention area. They lead her down hallways until she recognized the way to the research department. They lead her to the link room. The other operators were nowhere to be seen and the techs stared but were quiet. They shoved her toward a pod. "Get in," one ordered.

"What's going on?" Jasselle asked.

"Not with those cuffs," SG said setting up the pod. "It will mess with the link."

The marine yanked her cuffs over as he fumbled with the keys. Jasselle stumbled into him. "SG, what's been happening?" she asked him.

When the cuffs were off the marine shoved her back into the side of the pod. "Get moving or whatever you call what you do with these things."

SG glanced at her and there was sadness in his eyes. She climbed into the pod nervous about how she would find her avatar.

As her avatar woke, her wrists were being untied from the bedpost. "Ah, Dr. nice of you to join us," Quaritch said. Grace was behind him with a strained look on her face.

Jasselle sat up and pulled away the rest of the ropes. Her avatar's clothes had been changed for the more common tank top and shorts. Her hair no longer had its usual decorations. The biggest change was a bulky device strapped tightly to her wrist. "Do I dare ask what this is?"

Quaritch chuckled and shrugged, "Nothing much, just a tracking device you will be wearing from now on. Just in case you decide to go places you shouldn't."

Jasselle swallowed and looked around. She gasped; through the cabin grates she saw her tent. The curtains that covered the four grated walls and ceiling had been pulled down and tossed aside. The contents of her tent were lying in piles around its metal skeleton. "Oh Eywa," she whispered.

"Get up and come along," he ordered, "Let's get this over with."

She pulled herself to her feet. Quaritch led the way and Grace fell in beside her. Jasselle held the device away from her as though pointing at the tent structure. "Grace," she hissed. "I worked so hard on that tent." The 'simple' tracking device didn't fool Jasselle. she could tell there were a listening device and a possible camera on it.

Grace glared at the device. "I couldn't stop them Jasselle. I did try. God, I wish this would blow over already."

"Amen to that," she snapped, 'Not my religion I know, but I'm getting really angry'. The other operators were trying to do other things and not stare. They were nervous at the very least.

At the tent, Quaritch ordered her to sit down so he didn't have to strain his neck. Again, as with her room she had to identify everything she had in the tent. She mentally thanked Eywa for her sending the Tarot cards off with Neytiri. The soldiers mocked the primitive items meshed with the small amount of technical devices she had included in there. She maintained a quietly furious expression, but inside she noticed and was confused by pieces that were missing. Her weapons except for the guns were not there. The weapon's harness and clothing was also missing. She was certain the repair kit for her equipment had been in the little shelving unit behind the floor mat, but not anymore. Someone had raided her tent and from the soldiers' talk it had happened before any of them had thought to look inside her tent. She resisted the urge to look at the operators to see if it had been one of them.

By the end of the search, Quaritch ordered everything to be secured in storage or taken for further review even though Grace and Jasselle tried to argue. Her notebook was taken inside to be search. Jasselle was ordered to return to the cabin immediately. Grace demanded that Jasselle be given the chance to take care of her avatar. They permitted her to eat and cover the basic needs but that was all. Jasselle was lying down when the link was forcibly severed. Grace screamed her fury, but the soldiers didn't seem to care.

* * *

Jasselle woke up hours later, groaning. "Don't they know that's not healthy," she said shifting so she could lie on her back. She settled her arm across her eyes to block the light. "Excuse me, private," she said softly, her own voice seemed too loud.

"Yes," he said.

"If you don't mind, what happened?"

He laughed, "They carried you in and dumped you again."

"Oh, ow darn jerks," she moaned. She wanted this ordeal to end, but not a bad ending. She thought about the recent events and had a sinking feeling this wasn't just a witch-hunt. It seemed by the actions of the marines and management, they were out to make a scapegoat and they had chosen her. Regardless, of whether they found any evidence to link her to the incidents, she would probably be found guilty. Intelligent people rarely treat an innocent person this badly when they knew that person would report them unless they planned for that person's downfall. The clock was ticking and she was running out of cards to play.

* * *

The investigation dragged on and on. She counted the days in terms of Jake's transport arrival. They left her with so little to do. Each day held little variation. She spent most of her time in her cell. She passed the time with yoga, mediation, and reciting of Na'vi teachings.

A few days she returned to her avatar, where she could finally speak to the other operators. If it was an attempt to record her guilt from that armband, it failed miserable. All the operators knew what the armband was. They instead spoke of the break down in relationship to the Na'vi. In fact there was no longer a relationship to speak of. The Na'vi never showed themselves, but the trucks returning to base with the ore always had arrows stuck on them, which was enough of an opinion for the operators to understand.

Jasselle took a few moments while in her avatar to stare at the jungle. Her longing was unhidden to the operators. Once when she thought she had seen something blue between the branches, she stroked the device her free hand. Then as she slid the device behind her, her free hand rubbed her face pausing as she covered her eyes. As she uncovered her eyes, she deliberately pointed at her eye. Then she turned her head still moving her hand and tugged at her ear lobe. She finally turned away and hoped if that had been one of her brothers or sisters, they would figure out the device on her arm had hidden eyes and ears. She could hope.

At least three months had passed since Jasselle had been accused of a crime she outwardly didn't understand, but inwardly she understood far too well. Jake's transport was less than four and half years away. Too much time for her, but maybe enough time for him to have the room he needed.

Several times she was interviewed about what she knew. Her questioners weren't very good, she didn't really have to lie much to get around the actual truth. Partially, because they still weren't admitting to what had happened.

* * *

One evening, it was rather late; Quaritch and three other marines came into the detention area. Jasselle recognized them and got a very bad feeling. Two were the marines that she had filed a complaint against. The other was her most aggressive admirer. She stood up and watched them all.

"Dr. Scully," Quaritch began, "I have a few more questions. I am hoping tonight we will have all this cleared up." His smile was cold and so were his eyes.

Jasselle tried to think of something to say, but the way the other marines were looking at her caused the words to die in her throat.

"Private," he said. "I need you to check on the security camera data. We need you to confirm something right away."

"Yes, sir," he said turning to leave.

Jasselle shook off her frozen state and shouted, "Stop!" The private stopped surprised and the marines looked at her. "I want Grace or someone from research here for this."

"Of course," Quaritch said too politely. "Marine, put a call into research. Private, get moving."

The private was gone before Jasselle could get another word out. That marine didn't go to the com system, he went to lock the detention area door. The others went for the cameras.

"Now then, doctor, you've been a bad girl," he said. Jasselle paled and stepped back. He opened her cell door. "I know you have something to do with the mayhem that's been going on. And now we're going to make certain it doesn't continue."

As the marines closed in, Jasselle put on hysterias of one who is innocent, but they kept coming. She could only think of two people clearly: Jake and Rameana. Then the first fist swung.


	15. Another Point of View: Na'vi

Returning to the day the children ran from the yard and Jasselle was arrested, but from the point of view of the Na'vi, particularly Rameana.

* * *

Rameana and other two Na'vi warriors settled into their watch. Rameana stayed at the tree line while the others went to watch over their horses. She watched as those human warriors bullied the rest of the dream walkers. It was some time before they finally left the yard. A few remained on watch on the wall but not as many as before.

The dream walkers stood around in groups speaking quietly to each other, fear and confusion ran about them. On one hand Rameana felt sorry for them, their ignorance of the situation only made what had happened more confusing. On the other hand, she was angry with them, they thought they were so smart but ignored all warning signs that Jasselle had not. Not a real warrior among them.

During her watch, Rameana looked over the Tarot card box. She had always liked the carvings that covering every side of it. The largest sides displayed the sun and the moon. On one side was carved the sun rising, midday, and setting all in one image. The moon's side had the different phases from crescent to full and back again. The smallest sides had cross stars engraved into them surrounded by what looked like a starry night sky. The last two sides were images of vines growing rapid as Rameana traced a finger along them. The sides were interlocked together with the sun's panel able to slide halfway out and the inside of the box was lined with the softest leather she had ever felt. She wondered how and who had made it: was it by the machines that most humans seemed to worship or by hand. She didn't ask, it had not been important compared to the mining. Now it might be too late, but Rameana would wait till it was certain.

A few days later, Gi-chen and Vitingon joined her sending the other warriors back. Another warrior came to give Rameana a chance to go to back to home tree to rest. She refused to go anywhere. Gi-chen was just as worried for Jasselle as Rameana. She believed without Jasselle, she would not have Vitingon.

They watched the dream walkers and the warriors again with nothing unusual occurring. One late evening, as the guards left the yard and most of the dream walkers headed into their sleeping cabin, the one called David stayed outside. He moved very slowly, taking his time as the last of the wall guards went inside. When he was certain he was alone, he walked quickly to Jasselle's tent. He looked toward jungle before opening the tent grate and slipped inside. He appeared to be very nervous.

"_What is he doing_?" Vitingon asked.

Gi-chen looked about the yard and said, "_No eyes_."

"_What_?"

"_There are no eyes, the _metal _ones. They cannot see and hold memory of his actions_."

"_Yes, as Jasselle told us_," Rameana said. "_She believed they had frightened him into silence_."

"_So what is he doing now_?" Vitingon asked.

Some time passed before David came into view again. He was carrying several items and they appeared to mostly be what Jasselle carried day to day. He carefully but quickly carried the items to the yard gate. He looked back checking for guards, and then over jungle. He visibly swallowed gathering his courage and exited the safety of the yard. He stepped up to tree line and hesitated a moment. The three Na'vi heard him whisper in his language as he glanced at Jasselle's things. "How did she do this day after day with only this to protect her?" He slowly and very carefully stepped into the jungle. He didn't go too far in, just enough so he couldn't see any part of the base's structure. Then he debated whether to hide Jasselle's things or leave them in the open for hopefully a Na'vi to find.

The three warriors crept up behind the scientist with pathetic ease. Vitingon cleared his throat. David jumped away wide-eyed with fear and smacked his head into near-by tree trunk. As a result, he dropped Jasselle's things, which were his only possible weapons. The Na'vi looked at each other knowing they were all thinking how pitiful he was.

"_And they think we are stupid_," Gi-chen muttered.

"_What are you doing_?" Rameana demanded. "_Those belong to Jasselle_."

David got to his feet rubbing his skull. "_Trying to get them out of sight and to your clan, if possible_," he said.

"_Why? Is _Jasselle _in danger_?" Gi-chen asked.

He picked up the weapons, the harness, her clothing, and a small box. He sighed with a sad expression. He stated with shrug, "_maybe. You know about… _mining_, don't you? I don't know if you or _Jasselle _had anything to do with whatever trouble they've been having and I would rather not know for now. They are looking for someone to blame_."

"_Blame_?" Gi-chen repeated taking Jasselle's things from him.

David nodded, "_I don't know if they will blame her, but she shouldn't have made herself a suspect like that_."

"_You could have helped_," Rameana snapped, "_You were supposed to go to _Grace."

"_I know and I am so sorry, more than you know_," he said quietly.

"_Then why_?" Vitingon demanded.

"_My mate is traveling here. They said something would happen to her if I told anyone what I found_," he explained looking at each of them. He pleaded, "_She's all I have_."

"_Go, we will take care of _Jasselle_'s things_," Vitingon ordered. David nodded and quickly returned to the yard and the cabin.

"_What are we going to do_?" Gi-chen asked looking over the items she held and remembering the times Jasselle had made use of the different items.

"_All we can_," Vitingon told them as he wrapped an arm around his mate.

* * *

Time passed and the word from the warriors who checked on them was that the mining had started. What the clan had done during the time of Jasselle's program had only slowed them down it seemed. The workers had repaired the damage and the machines were working again. The machines now had guards protecting them and the clan's chief was not ready to declare war on the humans so no order to attack them directly was given. The warriors did take aim at the machines hoping to damage them but the moving machines just kept going.

More time passed and still the three waiting for some sign that Jasselle was still alive. Tyshimon was one of the warriors that checked on them. He ignored Gi-chen's and Vitingon's discomfort as he spoke to Rameana. "_Any change_?"

Rameana kept her eyes on the yard and said, "_No, except _David _brought us some of _Jasselle's_ things in secret_."

"David?"

"_The one who studies rocks_," Gi-chen said, "_The one I risked myself to get the special rock_."

He nodded remembering, "_Anything else_?"

"_Little, they care for our sister's dream walker as their warriors bully and taunt them_."

"_Strange_," he said looking over the yard.

"Mary's _dream walker will not wake for two seasons_," Rameana reminded him. "_Do you think _Jasselle _lied to you_?"

"_No, but it does not help. I miss that one. I will take our sister's things to home tree_," he offered.

They handed over the harness, clothing and box. They kept her weapons dividing them among themselves. Vitingon claimed the long sword; it was stronger and sharper than his dagger and Jasselle had let him wield it before. Rameana hung onto the atlatl and the quiver of arrows; the quiver made the carrying easier. Gi-chen asked for the steel rod and the look on Tyshimon's face as she clutched the leather wrapped end was enough of a reason.

* * *

Another day came where the activity in the yard increased. The operators were very nervous and the amount of warriors was more than there had been in the days before. At midday, a warrior entered the yard and the rest of the warriors greeted him in a way none of the Na'vi had seen.

"_Is that warrior special in some way_?" Vitingon wondered.

"_Perhaps one of the leaders_," Gi-chen guessed.

They watched as this warrior ignored Grace and the other dream walkers snapping out several orders. They wondered as the warriors headed for Jasselle's tent. When they saw what they were doing, Rameana nearly rushed out at them before Vitingon and Gi-chen stopped her. The warriors opened the tent's grate and started pulling the curtains down. Others carried out everything that they could move. Grace shouted at them to stop, but the lead warrior shouted back at her. Whatever he said silenced the woman. They stared, as the tent was torn apart leaving only the cold metal cage standing.

Gi-chen shook her head in disbelief and asked, "_Is that really the place we met with _Jasselle_ so many times_?"

"_It seemed so safe_," Rameana added.

Vitingon nodded, "_It was safe. _Jasselle _made it so_."

With the tent in ruins the lead warrior marched to the dream walkers' cabin. The Na'vi knew Jasselle's dream walker was still there but they couldn't see what the shorter humans were doing in there. Then Jasselle sat up looking nervous and more like the other dream walkers in their strange clothes. They saw an ugly metal thing on her arm and knew from Jasselle's expression it was not a good thing. They watched as the warriors treated her without respect, even worst than they treated the other dream walkers. As they displayed the destruction of her tent in great detail before her, she barely looked around. She didn't really look at anyone either. When Jasselle fainted, the dream walkers were startled and frightened as much as Grace was furious.

The warriors paid her no attention as the tent frame was taken down and everything was removed from sight. By the time the warriors left the dream walkers alone, Grace's expression was bordering on defeat. The three were greatly concerned. They now knew David had plenty of right to fear for Jasselle's life. It was just as well their sister's most valuable possessions were safe with them.

They saw Jasselle a few more times. She was always worried and quiet. The dream walkers appeared to try to comfort her and engage her, but the way she kept looking toward the jungle told them whose company she longed for. At one time Rameana crept closer to the tree line and Jasselle may have noticed because of the strange series of movements she did. Together the three realized it was a warning about the ugly bracelet she wore.

* * *

They waited patiently, from one moon cycle to the next. Then late one evening, as they were preparing to go back to the clearing for the night, they heard the sound of a human's aircraft approaching.

"_That's strange_," Rameana said.

"_What is_?" Gi-chen asked, "_it's just one of their _crafts."

"_But the sun is down. They are not allowed to fly after sunset_," Rameana explained climbing the nearest tree.

"_Then something is wrong_," Gi-chen agreed following her.

An aircraft flew over the yard heading for the jungle. "_We should follow them. They must be planning something we won't like_."

They chased the noise of the aircraft while watching the jungle. It was not difficult at all. At the their clearing, where the students had once gathered, the aircraft stopped and hovered over. Vitingon had already drawn the horses deeper into the brush. They watched for what the aircraft would do next.

It lowered slowly and before it touched down, something was thrown out. When it started to move, they knew it was someone. The humans on the craft were laughing. One threw something small toward the person. This person struggled to their feet heading for the aircraft.

"_What are they doing_?" Vitingon whispered.

"_Who is that_?" Gi-chen asked.

Rameana softly added, "_What have they done to that _human?" The aircraft lifted itself out of reach as the human reached it.

One of the humans on board shouted, "Since you love this stinking planet so much, we'll let it show you its affections. Good-bye doctor."

"Pray for your native boyfriend to save you," another yelled.

The person picked up a handgun from the ground. One of their arms hung limply against their side. As the aircraft began to regain altitude, the one they were leaving behind pointed at the aircraft and spoke in a firm voice in words that the Na'vi did not recognize. Though Rameana knew that voice soft and pained as it was, "Jasselle, _how could they do this to her_?"

"_Rameana, are you sure_?" Gi-chen said staring as the human hobbled to a near-by tree. They braced the gun between their knees and checked it for ammunition. With the filter mask on and the night it was nearly impossible to tell who it was.

"_I'm sure_," Rameana said, "_She must be so scared… and hurt_." The human looked around, even with Rameana being right, they were plainly determined as they turned toward the trail that led to home tree and began heading that way in spite of the injuries. "_We have to stop her before something kills her_." Rameana ran toward her. Jasselle was not even to the edge of the clearing as the Na'vi reached her. Jasselle turned raising the gun in defense.

"Jasselle, _it's all right. It's Rameana_," she said, "_Your sister_."

Through the mask's glass Jasselle blinked at her breathing very hard. There was blood and bruises on her face and where her clothing did not cover the skin. There were darker patches on the cloth and a smell under Jasselle's blood and sweat that made Rameana uncomfortable. Jasselle closed her eyes, took a deep breath of relief, and dropped to her knees clutching her limp arm. "_I'm so sorry, Rameana_," she whispered, "_I failed all of you_."

Ramean gently laid a hand on her shoulder, "_As I said before you have never failed us. Now, we will not fail you_." Rameana picked her up as though she was a child. She turned to her brother and his mate. They had brought the horses forward.

"_We will rescue your dream walker sister_," Gi-chen said gently taking Jasselle's limp arm and settling it across the human's lap.

Jasselle smiled and said, "_Thank you, just be_…"

"_Careful_," they said with her.

"_We will_," Vitingon promised. "_Get her to home tree and tell them everything_."

Rameana rode through the jungle as quickly and carefully as the horse could manage. Jasselle barely moved and tried to be silence the entire trip. The fact she was so quiet except for the rare whimper worried Rameana. "Jasselle," she whispered as she saw the fires of home tree, "_We are nearly there_."

Jasselle raised her head a little and several Na'vi suddenly surrounded them on the night watch.

"_Rameana, how dare you bring a _human _here_," Tsu'tey hissed.

"_It's _Jasselle," she explained. The warriors looked at Jasselle finding it hard to believe this little creature was the dream walker that had earned their respect.

Jasselle looked toward home tree's inviting glow and sighed, "_It never looked so beautiful_."

Tsu'tey said, "Jasselle, _are you…_"

"_They wanted someone to blame, Tsu'tey, anyone. They didn't care who_," she said and barely swallowed the pain as the horse shifted under her.

"_We need our healer to tend her_," Rameana demanded.

The warriors led them in. "_What of your brother and his mate_?" one asked.

"_They are stealing back our sister's dream walker_," Rameana explained.

Mo'at and the healer immediately took charge of Jasselle the moment they saw her. They knew who this little human was without asking somehow. Rameana explained to the clan what she had seen since the children fled the yard and especially this evening.

Mo'at and the healer worked close enough to hear but far enough for Jasselle's modesty. They cleaned her wounds and wrapped them in broad leaves. Jasselle was such a quiet patient but her face showed the pain she refused to voice. Neytiri stood by to help if she needed to but paid more attention to Rameana's words. She did see her mother lean closer to the human to catch her scent. Her mother pulled away with a look of disgust and Jasselle looked away ashamed. She could not hear the words they traded, but from the expressions of the three something terrible had been done to Jasselle.

Neytiri stepped closer wondering if she could help and heard Jasselle whispered, "_I cursed them. I have never tried to actually curse anyone before. I never felt so consumed before, it will come back on me but I could not control_…"

"_Enough_," Mo'at said, "_It is done and Eywa willing they shall be punished_." She rose and walked toward Neytiri. "_Stay with them, she is badly hurt_." Mo'at continued to her mate and spoke to the clan. Neytiri helped the healer carried Jasselle to a shallow pool to bath her a little and cool her feverish body. Her injuries were many. Bruises about her middle suggested she bleed within. There wasn't much time if that was true.

"_Healer_," Jasselle began.

"_Yes, violet-eyes_."

"_I am dying, right_?" she asked already appearing certain of the answer.

"_*sigh* yes_."

Jasselle reached up with her good arm and touched her cross star. She looked at them and said, "_This must be given to _Grace _and she must know to give it to my brother _Jake_. He will understand. He will know something happened no matter what they tell him. Promise me… please_."

"_Of course, but your life is not over_," the healer told her.

"_Certainly not_," Mo'at said firmly, "_We are going to the Tree of Souls. Warriors have been sent to guard you dream walker and meet us there. Come_."

"_What's the Tree of Souls_?" she asked as they carried her.

"_A sacred tree, like the Tree of Voices_," Neytiri explained, "_When you earn the right to be one of our clan… you would be taken there_."

Several banshees landed in the lower branches. "_We will take her_," Tsu-tey said.

"_Flying will be gentler to her_," Rameana insisted.

"_Agreed_," the healer said shifting Jasselle into Rameana's care, "_quickly now_."

As Rameana approached her banshee, it stared at the little human's body with a disturbing curiosity. Another warrior shoved its beak aside and connected Rameana's braid to its. There wasn't time to waste.

In the air, the warriors were cautious. It was rare for banshees to be up after the sun was down. It took more effort to fly without the warmer air of the day.

Jasselle remained very still, but appeared to enjoy the flight. "_Was I close_?" she asked, "_to earning this_."

"_What? A banshee_?"

"_Yes, it is said that flying maybe the purest feeling of freedom_."

The warriors who heard her smiled. "_Almost_," Rameana said, "_Your hunting skills are still not strong enough_."

"_Of course_," Jasselle said, "_My worst skill_. Jake _will do well at it. If not for the digging, it would have been wonderful to share this with him_."

"_You will, Eywa willing, you will share this_," Tsu'tey said.

The clan gathered around the glowing branches of the Tree of Souls. Jasselle and her dream walker were laid near the trunk. "_What's going on_?" Jasselle asked taking in as much as she could.

Gi-chen smoothed the dream walker's hair stating, "_It's all right, you will be one of us soon. Just relax_." She walked away and sat beside her mate.

Neytiri was close by and before Mo'at started to chant Jasselle said to her, "_Remember_."


	16. Another Point of View: Human

Note: This chapter begins in Grace's view starting the following morning.

* * *

Grace woke with her mind already full of concerns. She dressed and lit her first cigarette of the day. She had it in mind to hound the heads to end the investigation and get Jasselle out of that cell. It had gone on long enough. She needed Jasselle to get talks started with the Na'vi.

As she walked through the base toward the detention area, there were signs something wasn't quite right. The soldiers wouldn't meet her eyes and there were strange marks on some of walls. When Grace arrived, Jasselle wasn't in her cell. She wasn't in detention area at all. Quaritch was talking to other marines.

"What happened?" Grace demanded, "Where is she?"

"Excellent questions doctor," he said, "I've been asking them myself."

"What happened?" she repeated in a low tone.

"Dr. Scully apparently refused to answer some questions last night, stole a gun, attacked my soldiers, and made break for it," he explained.

Grace blinked at him a moment. "What do you mean made a break for it? Why? Where could she go anyway? It's ridiculous and it doesn't sound like her at all."

Quaritch's eyes narrowed as he stepped up to Dr. Augustine. In a quiet and strangely polite voice, he said, "Apparently, she wasn't as innocent as everyone thought, doctor. From the lack of security cameras, which she may have arranged, we can only go by the doors she opened. The last being the entrance to your precious avatar yard."

"The yard?" Grace said shocked.

Quaritch nodded and continued, "We have already search that area thoroughly and didn't find her. I can only suspect she attempted to escape into the jungle possibly."

"That's insane!" Grace said stepping away from him. She dropped her cigarette but didn't notice. "She'd never survive out there unprepared. She knows that better than anyone here."

"We are conducting a search of the entire base and surrounding area," he informed her. "If she is still within these walls, we'll find her."

Grace reluctantly nodded and hurried out. Quaritch smiled, picked up her forgotten smoke, and helped himself to it. "Boys, put Dr. Scully's belongings in storage with the tent of hers. I want this cleaned up before suppertime."

Grace rushed into the link room and softly snapped to SG, "Did anything happen in the yard last night?"

"Huh?" SG said.

Grace grabbed his arm. Everyone else tried to pretend to ignore them as Grace shoved him into the chair before his console. "Jasselle's missing," she whispered, "They said she went into the yard sometime last night."

SG typed as fast as he could. There was only one camera left in the yard, a hidden one. The one Jasselle had worn in her avatar's headband. Bio had hung it over the repaired lab doors. A secret, only a few in the department knew. They watched the video data as it sped through the night. There was no sign of Jasselle.

"Wait, what was that?" Grace asked when she saw movement.

SG brought it back and played it at normal speed. There was activity in the yard, but it wasn't Jasselle. Two of the Na'vi had slipped into the yard. With the small size of the camera, it was hard to tell anymore about them. They watched as the Na'vi opened the cabin grate and entered. When they exited the cabin, one was carrying Jasselle's avatar. They saw the other Na'vi throw the tracking device toward the base. That one locked the cabin back up and together they left with the avatar.

"Sam," Grace said calmly as she straightened, "Nothing happened last night, did it?"

SG smiled, "No, doesn't look like it, as always." He deleted the file.

Grace nodded and asked, " Contact Trudy, tell her I need to search the surrounding jungle for Jasselle myself." Then Grace went to a pod and quickly settled in.

Trudy readily agreed to go search for her gossip buddy and her baby was quickly readied. David also joined the search; with the mining started he didn't have anything to hide anymore. Together the team and the guards took the search slowly and carefully. For a very long time they had no luck. Then as they passed over a clearing about four or five miles from the yard's jungle entrance David shouted, "Look!"

In the clearing, almost in the center was one of the Na'vi. The male was simple standing there, watching them fly by. He held his bow at his side and made no move to use it. Through the binoculars Grace saw it was Vitingon. His expression seemed to be one of patience and expectation. Grace wondered if he had been waiting for them. "Take us back around," she ordered.

Trudy guided the craft in a smooth turn and hovered over the clearing. Vitingon didn't move. He just watched them. "All right," Grace said making up her mind, "Bring us down near him. The rest of you put away your weapons." The soldiers stared at her. "You heard me! Right now!"

Trudy landed as ordered giving Vitingon plenty of room. He waited patiently for Grace and David to approach him.

"_I see you, Vitingon_," Grace said in greeting.

"_I see you, _Grace," he said. "_My clan is not pleased_."

"_I know and I am sorry_," she said.

"_Are you sure you know of what_?" he asked.

Grace shook her head, "_Perhaps not, your people have many reasons you can choose from for your displeasure. Please forgive my rudeness, but we are looking for _Jasselle, _her small form. She is missing_."

Vitingon frowned, "_Missing no longer_." He nodded behind him. Out of the jungle a group of Na'vi came into view. They were all people Grace had seen with Jasselle on more than one occasion. But it was what Rameana and Gi-chen were carrying that held her attention and made her feel ill. Rameana was carrying something wrapped in one of the robes that RDA had gifted to the Na'vi. From the shape it appeared to be a human body. Beside her Gi-chen carried a filter mask and human clothes with obvious bloodstains on them.

"No," Grace whispered, "_Please, tell me that isn't _Jasselle. _It can't be_."

Vitingon simply said, "_We tried to save her_."

Rameana offered Grace the body, but she couldn't move so David stepped forward and took it. In the transfer an arm slipped out of the robe and hung limply the hand exposed.

"Oh god, no," Grace said noticing the violet nail polish that Jasselle had always worn to match her eyes.

Gi-chen came forward and shoved her burden into Grace's arms. "_There was no reason for this to happen_," she hissed her eyes bright. She then softened and pressed Jasselle's pendant into Grace's hand whispering, "_You are to give this to her brother. Do not fail to do this request of our sister_."

Grace closed her fingers around it and nodded making herself say, "_I will see it is done_."

The Na'vi said nothing else and walked back into jungle vanishing as though they had never been there. Grace sighed and turned to David who looked just as sad she felt. "Let's take her home."

At the landing area of the base, someone must have called ahead from the small crowd that was waiting for them. Most of their expressions were cold and unfeeling. There was a gurney with the doctors to take Jasselle with them and away.

"No," Grace snapped throwing the clothes and filter mask on it. "My department will take care of her."

"Dr., that's against procedure," a doctor insisted.

"I don't care. Jasselle respected your precious procedures, not me. She will be examined by her fellow scientists and buried not burned as the people are here," she stated walking away from them. David cradled the body and followed Grace before they could stop him.

* * *

A day later, Jasselle's body was dressed in the nicest clothes they could find among her belongings and placed in a body bag. Mary had performed a quick and quiet autopsy in between. As the team prepared to take their friend and colleague to her final resting place, they gathered around Mary to hear what she had found. Once he was certain no one could hear them SG nodded to Mary.

She whispered, "They did tend her. She died from internal bleeding. She was beaten nearly to death… among other things. Her injuries are not from any animal attack or someone the size of a Na'vi. A human or more likely humans did this. We knew she could fight, she stood up to a Na'vi warrior, sort of, and it wasn't this bad. Her body revealed: a broken arm, one leg had a swollen ankle, the other a bruised knee. There is no way she sneaked off this base under her own power like they're claiming."

Grace nodded, "So we keep quiet for now. We're not warriors, but we will plan."

"For Jasselle," David said. Everyone nodded.

"All right, let's say good-bye," Grace said.

All the operators climbed into the pods, several personnel grabbed filter masks. Her body was carried out to the yard. The avatar operators had dug a grave for her beside her favorite fruit tree. There were a few marines that joined them, mostly those she had tended and comforted in the past. There were guards on the walls, but for once they were quiet.

She was lowered into the grave. Then one by one, the mourners would toss a handful of dirt on the bag and some added tokens in her memory. Grace settled Jasselle's fruit basket over the head of the body bag. David emptied a small bag of what looked like black sand. Mary added a something wrapped in cloth. "The viper wolf fetuses. I've learned all I can from them. They can keep her company," she explained. Bio tossed in a bunch of native flowers that resembled Jasselle's favorite flowers, lilies.

More people added tokens and dirt over her till everyone got a chance. No one made any speeches or knew what to do beyond burying her. Once it was finished, the people started leaving. Alone Grace knelt down, placed a hand on the mound and whispered, "I will kept that promise and find out what you were really up to. Then, then I will finish what you started."

* * *

4 or so years later

Colonel Quaritch slowly walked down the aisle in the mess hall addressing the new arrivals. On one hand, he was relived they were finally here. He had been stretched a little thin for at least a year. On the other, among the soldiers, workers, and researchers was the first resident that any officer had to console about the death of a loved one. He wasn't looking forward to it. He looked around trying to figure out which of them was Jake Scully. Then a young man came into the room using a wheelchair, that's when he remembered the file on Scully.

Once he finished the safety brief, he said, "All right, report to your respective areas. I need to speak with a few people starting with Jake Scully." The young man was surprised. He motioned Jake joined him at a corner table while he grabbed a couple of glasses and a bottle of scotch. The bottle came out of Selfridge's personal stash that he wasn't suppose to have on this dry base. He only gave it up after Quaritch threatened to make him talk to Scully.

Jake watched him confused but quiet. Quaritch poured the glasses and offered Scully one. As Jake took it he said, "Go ahead and knock that back, Jake."

"Sir?"

"One marine to another, knock that back."

Jake did, his face tightened as it bit back, only to open his eyes to see his glass being refilled. "Sir, what's going on?"

"With anyone else, we simple send a letter for someone else to do this as we did for the rest of your family. Drink," he said and waited till Jake compiled. "Jake, your sister, Jasselle Scully, died about four years ago." He poured another glass as Jake stared at him. "Knock it back."

"Sir, I couldn't have possible have heard you right," he said very softly.

"You did, drink," he ordered. Quaritch could see the alcohol was beginning to take affect as Jake did what he was told. He had been asleep for nearly six years. His tolerance level, regardless of what it had been, was gone. "We have a shrink on base that has been ordered to fit you in whenever you need."

"Four years?" Jake repeated. "How?"

"There were some unexplained incidents that had happened over a period of several months. We thought the Na'vi had something to do with it, but more than likely the responsible party was a human or humans. Jasselle was a suspect and we had to question her."

"Suspect, her?" Jake interrupted and paused remembering the chief's rank, "Sorry sir."

"Understandable," he said pouring another glass, "One night during questioning she apparently lost her cool, broke out of the detention area and ran into the jungle. No one can explain why."

"Forgive me sir, but lost her cool?" Jake repeated, "She was always so level headed."

Quaritch shrugged noting the bottle was half empty. He nodded to the base shrink who held a bottle of motor mouth just in case. The man slowly began walking over. The Col poured another glass and said, "People noted later on that she had changed a lot over the months. Jake, she had been spending most of her time with the natives. They weren't too thrilled when the mining started neither was she." He nodded to Jake to have another drink. "That's when relations broke down, which was while we were questioning her and she was critical in keeping those relations open, I think."

Jake shook his head and said, "She probably blamed herself for the break down. She never did know when to quit." He stopped and hung his head, "Runs in the family unfortunately."

Quaritch pulled out a key, "Here, this will open the door to her old quarters. Everything that belonged to her is there. It's yours now or you can have it sent home with the next shipment. This is Dr. Walker, the resident psychologist."

"Feel free to stop by my office at anytime," he said handing Jake the bottle of motor mouth.

Jake nodded, had one drink more and said, "Excuse me, I need… I need to be alone." He quickly grabbed his things and the key and wheeled away.

Quaritch watched him, "I think that went well." He knocked back his first glass. "This is high quality stuff."

"He's not going to be very useful to Dr. Augustine, sir," the doctor stated.

"And your point being what?"

Jake somehow managed to find Jasselle's room. He didn't quite remember how he got there. Alcohol always made him more sleepy than anything else. People said he was a happy drunk, but there was no humor to be found in a bottle this time. His bag was on the floor as he was going through a crate. Near the top there was a familiar box. Jake dragged it over and opened it. "Weeds, weeds, where is it?" He pulled out a strange bundle of braided plant stalks and a lighter. Then on the nearest flat surface he set it down and lit the ends. He settled his forehead on his hands over the burning herbs. Mother warned him, if he ever needed to quickly clear his head but become separated from pain, both physical and emotion, this particular bundle would do it slowly and permanently (at least the head part) if brew in a tea and very quickly for a short time if breathed as incense was.

It smelled awful and he had to find something to cover his mouth before he coughed. His head did clear completely in moments but he felt empty inside. He smothered the herbs and put them back. He thought about what the colonel said. Several things did not belong in association with the sister he knew. He, Tom, and Jasselle had been very close, all their lives. Those combined with a few items he had not found yet made him all the more concerned. He continued to look wondering. 'Where's her sword? She wouldn't lose it. The cross star pendant might have still been around her neck, but not likely,' he thought. The missing object that worried him the most was the card box. She always had it nearby, even if people made fun of the Tarot cards inside.

He found her personnel notebook and there were some copies of her logs. He started them up and just leaned back listening to her voice. It was that last month of logs that existed. In all of them she was talking to him. She kept inserting Gaelic terms at places and it was obvious instead of subtle like most Wicca messages were. She had tried to leave him a message, but his Gaelic wasn't very good. The very fact that the message was so blatantly there made him wary. Jasselle had been cautious always and sometimes prone to think of the worst scenarios, but she was gone by all accounts and the message was proof that she had had reason to fear for her life. Even without understanding all that Jasselle was trying to tell him one thing he knew for certain: he had to find the person she called Rameana. In one of the logs, Jasselle had added the same Gaelic word in front of that name and his. Around those words she had referred to siblings, but that wasn't what the term meant. Whoever that was his sister wanted him to find.

By the time Jake had gone through most of the front room, he had found her personal notebooks and her album though no ring. He figured someone took it, but it didn't matter. He never liked the fact she kept it, even though it was terrible what happened, Eddy was a loser. The burned herbs were starting to wear off and he started feeling. Those feelings were painful aches inside and a swimming head. He wheeled into the sleeping quarters. Something in there still carried her scent. He dragged himself into the bed and gave into the new bottle of alcohol as bad as it was. Among her herbs was a great hangover cure for the morning.

* * *

Grace climbed out of her pod demanding her cigarette. As she lit it the tech said, "He's here."

"Who?" she asked a little bored.

"Her brother, Jake," the tech was nervous about something.

Grace sighed, "Time to face the music, so what's wrong?"

"The colonel spoke with him. He shut himself in her old room."

"What? How'd he get in there?"

"No one has seen him since."

Grace nodded, "Have someone make sure he comes to research tomorrow." She frowned, "I'm going to have a word with Selfridge."

* * *

The next day, Jake showed up at the link room to meet everyone and find out just what his duties now were. The first thing they had him do was make the initial log "Is this right?" he asked. "The one I saw Jass make, it was like she was talking to me."

"Well, why don't you talk back? If that makes it easier," Norm advised.

Jake thought about it, 'If only she could talk back.' He turned back to the camera and adjusted it before continuing not noticing the tech Sam was glaring at Norm. "All right Jass, I get the basic idea behind the whole connecting with the avatars but it's technically over my head. I saw the message you sent me while I was sleeping no less." He tried to smile, "If even half of what you promised happens, mostly the walking again, it could be worth the trip here. The plan you stated, which now without you is a bust I guess, was to start by living here at the base and learn the basics of surviving outside the base. Then if the Na'vi were cool with it move to home tree and learn to be a Na'vi warrior." He stopped and shook his head, "I'm sure I could have done it. Given the chance I would have rose to the challenge Jass. If the chance does become available, I will succeed. For you and Tom," he turned to the others again. "Is that good enough?"

"Come on, what would you have been learning from her? What do you need to learn to succeed? Be thorough, good science is good observation," Norm encouraged. Norm's cheerful tone made Jake want to deck him, but the idiot was too far away at the moment.

After Jake finished his log he waited for the next order of business, but no one seemed to want to talk with him. When he asked the tech Sam about seeing Jass's other logs, the tech sighed. Jake had noticed that there were not as many as he thought there should be, but then he knew his sister was renowned for her lacking love of paperwork. A waste of her time, she had often told him. The tech's reaction seemed to be something else.

"Jake," Sam said pulling up a chair. The tech fidgeted a moment before continuing; "It's been four years for us. Please know everyone liked her. She looked out for everyone. I don't know the details. I wasn't there. Jasselle was wonderful to everyone in research. None of us wanted to believe anything bad could happen to her."

"It's still a little raw for me." Jake said annoyed.

Sam nodded and said, "I miss her every morning."

"You do?"

"Yes, she was always the first one here. She called me SG for…"

"Super Geek," Jake said rubbing his face, "There always had to be a SG around." Jake sat quietly a moment staring off at something. Then he pounded his fist on his chair's armrest a couple times. "Where's the rest of her logs?" he asked resisting the urge to swear.

Sam nodded not surprised by the former marine's angry or his request. Sam reached over to his console and pick up a small handheld. He quickly copied all the base's data about Jasselle Scully, at least what he was allowed to access, some files he knew had gone missing, onto it and handed it over. "This is everything I have access to about her, Jake. I know some logs had been deleted for security. That's what we were told anyway."

Jake took the handheld and wheeled himself to an empty desk. Everyone who had known his sister watched for a bit. Norm watched as well, Tom had been a great friend for the three years they gotten to work together.

Later on, he and Norm meet Dr. Grace Augustine for the first time. Grace insulted his intelligence, which didn't surprise him. He fired back the blunt remark that he had come to work for Jasselle not her. No one liked his answer, but he didn't care as he looked over the pod and settled himself in.

He had forgotten how good it was to be able to walk. He escaped into the yard much to the dismay of the doctors. It felt so good to be outside, he just had to run and feel the ground under his feet again. 'Jass, if you could only see this,' he thought.

Grace met him and tossed him a fruit. He hardly paused before taking a bite. The pebbled surface gave way under his teeth like a plum but tasted a little like a honeydew melon or a kiwi. He couldn't decide, but it was so good. Grace laughed shortly and said, "Those were her favorites." She rubbed a hand along the trunk. "Every morning she was here in the yard, she had one."

Jake glanced at her and took another bite thinking.

"You should get dressed, you know," she said and looked behind him, "You too, Norm. Just remember boys, your avatars have tails."

"Then I want to know what happened," Jake insisted.

She nodded and waited for him by the tree. When he rejoined her she said, "She was a great person, Jake. Sweet and kind and caring to all who knew her." He nodded and waited. "I didn't let them burn her. It didn't seem right. We buried her right here." She pressed a hand on the ground. The ground had leveled out and grass now grew there again.

Jake knelt beside her and stared at the area startled. His sister's body, not ashes, was below his fingers. Bury like they had in the past that she had cherished so much. "To you," he said, "It's been years. For me, in a matter of weeks I've lost both my sibs."

"I know and I am sorry," she said and reached into a pocket, "When the Na'vi returned her to us, they gave me this." She pulled out Jasselle's cross star pendant. "They said to make sure you got it."

Jake took it carefully; it was so much smaller in his big blue hands. "She gave it to them, to give to you with instructions to give it to me."

"Yes," she said, "Does that mean something?"

Jake shrugged and kept his secrets to Grace's annoyance. He instead said, "Two questions: First, who is Rameana? Second, where do I find this Rameana?"


End file.
